


Shinobi (Sequel to Otokage)

by writer168



Series: Otokage [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-27
Updated: 2017-01-21
Packaged: 2018-05-03 14:40:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 29,617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5295119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writer168/pseuds/writer168
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They were shinobi: machines trained from childhood to kill or be killed. They were experienced soldiers; tools even. And that's why you can't blame them for being idiots in everything else. (A collection of short related chapters)</p>
<p>"I KNEW it! I knew you had the hots for her!"</p>
<p>"I've seen cooked fish before. That's charcoal. I'm sorry that you're culinarily disabled."</p>
<p>"And you're surprised that your son gets a heart attack when you leave your arm in the living room."</p>
<p>"I don't care! We're watching the entire fourth season of Kunoichi Diaries and you're going to learn whether you like it or not!"</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Are You an Idiot?

"You're staring."

Itachi turned his head and raised an eyebrow.

"Staring at what, exactly?"

" _Her._ "

"Who?"

Hidan pointed a pen at him accusingly, waving it about like a little wand.

"Oh no, we are not doing this right now. I think you out of all people would know that your little diversion tactics won't work on me ever since I knocked you upside the head with that shogi game last month." Hidan said, making Itachi's eye twitch at the mere thought of that horrid incident, "But it's as clear as freakin' day that you, Mr. I-Don't-Know-What-A-Smile-Is, have been looking at Sakura-sama for the last thirty seconds."

Sakura was visiting the pediatric ward at the hospital to observe the staff and make notes and changes as she saw fit. She was speaking amiably to the head of the department, Matsumoto Hikaru, as they walked the floor.

"Is it wrong for me to study the way she takes care of the hospital system?" Itachi asked.

"No." Hidan admitted, "But if you were 'studying', I think you would have noticed me writing the word 'idiot' on your cheek."

Itachi snatched the compact mirror his friend lazily offered from his overcoat pocket. He snapped it open and turned his head, an irritable glance forming. _Idiot_  was indeed written on his face in thick black letters ending in an exclamation point. A sigh escaped his lips as he closed and returned the mirror.

"I assure you, I wasn't staring." he said, "What reason could I have to do such a thing?"

Hidan hummed to himself as he leaned against the counter top. His eyes slid over to where Sakura standing, rather close to Hikaru as she laughed at something he said.

"So... you wouldn't mind if she decided to start dating the esteemed Matsumoto-sensei? Seeing them together all the time, all happy and lovey-dovey?" he questioned. Itachi closed the open folder in his hands and tucked it under his arm.

"Her personal life doesn't concern me."

Hidan kept his sly comment to himself as Sakura strode over to them. She grinned and waved before handing out some documents to the administration.

"Good morning, you two." she greeted, "Your shifts haven't started yet?"

"Nope. Pretty boy and I still have about fifteen minutes."

She nodded and moved her gaze to Itachi. Unbeknownst to them, he suddenly found it hard to breathe as he looked in her pleasantly emerald eyes. He didn't even mind it when she leaned forward curiously and poked his cheek.

"Itachi-san... are you an idiot?"

Hidan burst out laughing. Itachi repressed a heavy sigh and resisted the urge to wipe that stupid smile off his face. Sakura joined in the laughter, Itachi becoming mesmerized by her sweet-sounding voice. She clapped him on the shoulder before walking off toward the elevators. At her departure, Hidan tilted his head to the side and gave the counselor one of those knowing glances.

"You never answered her question."

"Be quiet."

The laughs subsided and Hidan raised his hands in defense.

"Hey now, I'm not telling you to stop what you've already got going on." he said, "If anything, I'll be rooting for ya'. But you better get your act together soon or some other guy's gonna come and sweep her off her feet because you couldn't."

Itachi took this time to consider those words. A small frown tugged at his lips.

"If you're so well enamored with the idea, why don't you act upon it?"

Hidan raised his left hand, showing the silver band on his ring finger.

"Just got back from my honeymoon, remember? Been there, done that, I'm great. You, on the other hand, are like thirty years old or something? Maybe you should consider settling down sometime. It might do you some good."

Itachi excused himself and walked to his office to start his shift. Say he did want to settle down in the near future. Say he did want a wife to hold in his arms and have a reason to make it home safe every day. Say he did want a child to raise and read stories to every night before bed. Say he did want all those things more desperately than anyone could ever possibly imagine, but...

He wilted slightly.

He already let his family down once.

...

What made him deserving of another?

::

"I'm ready to start my Kage training, ero-sennin." Naruto said. Jiraiya looked up from his peeping in the bath houses.

"Oho, are you now, gaki?" he mused as he stood up and stretched his arms over his head, "This is pretty sudden. What made you change your mind?"

Naruto pressed his lips together, thinking back to that moment on the Hokage Monument. That look in Sakura's eyes, the glow in her smile, and the way she had matured... If she stood up for her own all those years ago, maybe it was time for him to do the same.

"First Gaara became the Kazekage, then Sakura-chan became the Otokage." he answered, "And they earned those titles so long ago. Now I've got to suck it up and catch up to them, dattebayo!"

Jiraiya eyed his disciple thoughtfully. He heard that Sakura had revealed herself to be alive only recently, sending shock waves throughout all the five nations and bringing attention to Otogakure as a whole. Along with that came the revelation of Akasuna no Sasori's active status and the rumor of a third Uchiha.

But Haruno Sakura had been orchestrating this the entire time? Her? Well, he had to see that for himself. He cringed, remembering all the frogs he lost due to tried surveillance in that area and tried not to assume too much of what that girl had become.

"If you're positive about this, then we'll start training right away!" Jiraiya grinned. He turned back to his peeking, "But after this research session."

"Ero-sennin!!"

"Shhh! They'll  _hear_  you!"

 


	2. Give a Warning First!

"Ino, it's been two weeks." Chouji tried, "I know you're feeling bad about this whole thing, but... I don't know... maybe you should go to Otogakure and talk to her. Really listen this time. Everyone, I mean, mostly everyone had forgiven her. It still doesn't change the fact that she's back and that she became a Kage."

He remembered his own time in meeting Sakura that fateful day of her visit. He was just eating the new wasabi ginger flavor of his favorite chip brand and was walking out the store when he accidentally bumped into her. He had been so shocked from colliding into a "dead" person that he dropped his bag and went back into the store to use the bathroom and wash his face. When he came back out and she was still standing there, holding out the bag for him to take, he listened to what she had to say.

Her reasons were valid to his ears, at least. They were unorthodox and not the most acceptable, but she did what she had to do for her cause, killing as little of them as she could and distancing herself as to not hurt them any further. But that was Chouji's understanding anyways.

Ino sighed and crossed her arms.

"I know."

"Then why don't you do something about it?"

"Because..."

She looked away, a deep frown marring her pretty face. She didn't answer as she walked over to a vase and started arranging the flowers. Chouji sighed and moved to leave the shop.

"I'll see you at training later, okay?"

::

Itachi couldn't sleep that night. He laid in his bed, eyes staring up at the blank ceiling above and black hair tied into a ponytail. Hidan's words resonated in his head unwillingly forcing him to think of what he wanted to do. He was twenty-nine years old with no real plan for the future. He had a stable job and plenty of credentials in case he desired another, but he had nothing to show for his personal life.

No past partners, no previous wanting of another person...

If he really had taken a liking to Sakura and wanted his future with her, how exactly would he proceed?

It was morning when he realized that for once in his long life that he had to ask help from the people he desperately didn't want to. So when the clock at his bedside struck six, he slipped out from underneath his bed sheets, dressed himself for work at the intelligence building, and walked to the restaurant near his apartment.

It had become something of a ritual for the ex-Akatsuki members to gather for breakfast on Mondays and Fridays at the same old place over the past years. That, and meeting up for dinner on Tuesday evenings. As he stepped into the restaurant, he immediately went for the northeastern corner of the restaurant and sat down beside Sasori.

Hidan looked up.

"So? Did you do some of that thinking?" he asked. Itachi gave a short exhale from his nose as he gave a slight nod at the waitress when she placed his usual drink in front of him, a coffee with six sugars.

"I did. And you're right." he confessed. The conversations at the table came to a halt as all whispers of attention suddenly fell upon his shoulders. Itachi sighed inwardly. He really should have struck up the notion again once he was back on hospital duty this upcoming Tuesday. But the rest were bound to find out on their own sometime in the future, so there was no use in keeping it from them. His eye twitched when the man grinned.

"'Course I am." he joked, "So, you want to tell the whole class what's up or you want me to cut the cake?"

The rest of them leaned forward expectantly, wondering what exactly he had to say. Itachi was never one of those types who'd tell interesting stories, much less take the things Hidan said into careful consideration. He exhaled again.

"I have taken a liking to Sakura-sama."

Deidara choked on his orange juice, sliding his chair back and leaning forward while coughing to clear his throat. Kisame covered his full mouth with both his hands as his broad shoulders shook with laughter. Sasori was more surprised with the fact that Itachi had  _genuinely_  admitted to falling for someone rather than the fact that the person he had fallen for was Haruno Sakura.

She was both strong and beautiful, not to mention a Kage and a long-time candidate to be one of his puppets. If she was honored with that much, it was no surprise how many admirers she came to have over the past years. Kakuzu merely stared at him with slightly narrowed eyes, Tobi gushing in the seat beside him.

"Aw, that's so cute!!! Itachi-senpai's gotta crush!" he squealed.

"God _damn_ , give a warning first, hm!" Deidara gasped, "You know I've been more susceptible to surprises ever since my little shits pranked me on April Fool's three years ago, un!"

That was not a good day.

Itachi resisted the urge to simply get up and walk out to deal with the situation himself, but he knew he couldn't do that. As much as he hated to admit it, he couldn't blindly walk into this situation alone. He hadn't a shred of experience to help him out, and he was honestly serious about her. He didn't want to screw this up.

Kisame finally swallowed his food and set both palms on the table. His expression suddenly turned serious.

"If this is the real deal... then I think you all know what we have to do."

Tobi turned his head, looking betrayed.

"It's a rule, Kisame-senpai! We never talk about it. Never." he whispered, holding a hand over his heart.

"We have to make a special case here. For Itachi-san's sake."

Sasori glared at him.

" _Don't say it._ "

"We... We have to make him watch Kunoichi Diaries: Season Two.  _The Extended Version_." Kisame said with painfully shut eyes. The second wave of utter shock smashed into the table, even Kakuzu looking far more hostile than usual. Itachi cast a glance at everyone sitting at the table, breakfast forgotten and war-torn look overtaking their expressions.

Forget everything he mentioned about needing their help.

He seriously should've just kept his mouth shut.

::

**You know that feel when a show's so good but has that one season that no one talks about because it just killed the vibe? Yeah. That's what this.**

**BLACK BUTLER SEASON TWO I'M FUCKING LOOKING RIGHT AT YA.**


	3. It's a Good Song!

"I understand your need for such a risky course of action, but I don't understand why you're all here to do so."

Kabuto lived alone in a rather spacious two bedroom apartment with a three seater couch and a TV in the living area that connected with a small open kitchen to the side of it. He didn't even bat an eye at the current mass of bodies that had invaded both places.

Kisame ducked his head out of the fridge with three beers in each hand and tapped it shut with his hip.

"Well, you're going to be a part of this, for one." he said, causing Kabuto to roll his eyes, "And your place is a pretty great 'meet me halfway' point for us."

"Plus, we brought drinks and take out! It's a fucking awesome situation for you if you think about it." Hidan added. He was sandwiched on the sofa between Sasori and Tobi, casually snacking on popcorn as Deidara fumbled with the DVD player. He supposed he could let it slide this time. Unfortunately, he had become far too used to their company after being subjected to it for so long. So he simply decided to give up on it and sat down on the ground next to Sasori's legs.

"Which seasons are we watching?" he asked.

"The first and the... second." Kakuzu informed from the kitchen. Kabuto's eyebrows furrowed as he turned his head.

"Why did you say it like that?"

There was a string of uncomfortable silence, earning his curious stare and Itachi's rather irritable gaze from his seat at the arm chair. Kabuto ran possible scenarios through his head that could have resulted in such a depressed reaction. What was it? All they were watching was the first two seasons of Kunoichi Diaries and--

He stopped.

"You came to my apartment to play that  _abomination_  on my TV." he glowered, "All of you owe me. Indefinitely."

Hidan sighed.

"Fucking fair enough."

Kisame plopped onto the ground beside Kabuto and handed him a can of guava juice-- his favorite-- before passing down the beer. Deidara finally exclaimed in triumph when he finally got the damned player to work. He scooted back between Tobi and Hidan's legs and pointed the remote at the screen.

"Alright, un! Get ready for hell, Uchiha bastard!"

Said bastard twisted the cap off his beer as he crossed his legs.

"Is this truly necessary?"

"Yes." was the unified reply. Itachi pinched the bridge of his nose as the opening of the first episode ran. The moment he heard the typical upbeat opening song and saw the dramatic poses the actors were displaying, he allowed himself to sink into the seat.

"How many episodes are in a season?"

"Fifteen. Eighteen in season two."

"...How long is each episode?"

"Forty-five minutes."

Itachi went through a quick calculation of how long he'd have to stay and watch this horrible show against his will.

Twenty-five hours.

He was going to be here for twenty five hours.

He sank down even further.

Well, there went his weekend.

::

Sakura was amazed. Kabuto hadn't shown up for work the day before and she couldn't recall seeing Kakuzu and Kisame either. Deidara's genin team and Sasori's all-kunoichi genin team came to her office asking if their sensei had gone off on a mission because they certainly weren't around the village or in their homes. Tobi had been absent too, she discovered, when he didn't show up for the quick Academy clean up that normally occurred on off days.

She did have a hunch on where they'd be. Early Sunday morning, she walked the path to Kabuto's apartment in a cozy white sweater and green scarf. When she knocked on the door and found that no one would answer, she used the spare key he kept in her office desk and stepped through the threshold. Sakura raised a brow at the collection of sandals by the entrance and peered into the living area.

"Are you guys serious?" she sighed. Popcorn was scattered all over the floor with take out boxes piled up in the corner. The ending credits of what she assumed was Kunoichi Diaries rolled up the TV screen, empty beer bottles and juice cans strewn around it. Sakura stepped around the trash and stood in front of the TV.

Hidan and Tobi were crashed on the couch, each cuddled with a pillow and the former drooling on the arm rest. Deidara was face down on the wooden floor with pieces of rise on his shirt and a large bowl on his head. Kisame and Kabuto were curled up against each other near the hallway, Kakuzu not too far away with his head buried in his shirt. Sasori was underneath the coffee table, snoring lightly with weird yellow stuff in his hair. And last but not least was Itachi, who simply had his eyes closed and his arms crossed over his chest.

Huh. Was there a marathon?

But no matter. Sakura drew in a deep breath as she collected chakra in her throat.

" **OI!** "

The coffee table jumped as a head collided against it, several curses spilling out, followed by yelps of surprise and lazy groans. She gave a pointed stare at Deidara and Sasori first and foremost.

"You two have teams, remember? You both have missions slated today and if you don't hurry, you'll be late."

Next was Tobi.

"Masao-san was looking for you. He mentioned something about test results he needed by noon today." she said. His eyes flew open as he dove off the couch and scampered around to gather his things.

"I FORGOT! DAMMIT! WHY'S THE SERIES SO GOOD?!"

"Kakuzu. Interrogation of the infiltration specialist."

His shoulders dropped and a sigh escaped his lips, his entire posture just screaming  _'fuck'_. With a slight tilt to her lips, she avoided the disoriented bodies about the apartment. Itachi got up from the chair and rubbed at his eyes-- almost like a child-- Sakura noted with a chuckle. He cocked his head at her.

"Something the matter?"

"Not at all, Itachi-san! Ne, want to go get some dango? It's on me."

She tugged his long sleeve shirt and moved to slip out the front door.

"Oh, and good morning, everyone!" she grinned.

::

Marisu looked up from reading documents when her husband staggered through the door and dropped into the seat beside her.

"How were the first two seasons of Kunoichi Diaries?" she asked. Hidan leaned forward and placed a kiss on her forehead.

"Just as wonderfully shitty as I remember." he said, smiling when she gave a soft laugh, "I don't know if Pretty Boy got anything out of it. There's some interesting methods in the series, but I'll be damned if he actually went and did any of those things."

He wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his chin atop her head. She leaned into his embrace, nose wrinkling at the smell of alcohol.

"Interesting methods? Like when you tried to serenade me at the hospital using the voice enhancement technique Sakura-sama taught you?" she hummed. Hidan puffed out his cheeks and held her tighter.

"I still remember how red you got."

"You sang  _Tale as Old as Time_."

"It's a good song!"

"I was on the top floor, Hidan."

"You had to hear me somehow, right?"


	4. Drowning?

Kisame yawned as he stood up and stretched his arms over his head. Re-watching those seasons was an absolute nightmare with having to life through the introductions of Ayako and Shin, sparking up the anger he thought had previously subsided. He glanced around.

_'I guess all this popcorn came from Hidan when he and Deidara threw a fit during episode seven. Not that I blame them.'_

But that could've been avoided if Misaki had just-- NO. No, he and everyone else had done way too much yelling the past entire day and he knew his blood pressure had suffered enough. His attention moved to Kabuto when the man sighed and bent over to pick up the beer bottles.

"The least they could've done was pick up after themselves..." he muttered.

"I'll help you." Kisame offered.

"Oh, thanks."

Kisame walked over to the supply closet and pulled out the broom and dust pan. He knew this apartment like it was his own. This had been a place of multiple all-nighters, bad movies, and guava juice for the past six or so years, and he'd like to say that he remembered every minutes of it. Like mackerel and sea bream were Kabuto's favorite foods despite never saying anything, because eyes would light up every time he took a bite, or that he was actually a bit scared of thunder because his finger would twitch the moment the sky decided to roar.

Though he guessed it was just the little things he noticed as time went by. Kisame didn't really know, but it was easy to lose track of his day when he hung around Kabuto. Always.

He swept up the popcorn bits around the couch, grimacing at the darkened spot on the tan armrest.

"You have Hidan spit on your couch."

"Fan-tastic."

He continued sweeping, thankful that Kabuto decided to change his carpet to a wood flooring because this all would be an absolute bitch to clean out. After dumping all the garbage, he went back to the supply closed to put the broom and dustpan away and take out the floor cleaner.

"Hey, it's fine. I can clean up everything else." Kabuto said. Kisame frowned as he took a couple steps back to face the other.

"You sure? 'Cause I've got no problem hanging back longer. I  _was_  the one who brought the guys over on such short notice."

"Really, it's fine. You've been a big help already, and aren't you scheduled for an assessment? I don't want to make you late like last time." he replied as he took off his glasses to wipe them off on his shirt. Reluctantly, Kisame put the cleaner back on the shelf and shut the door.

"Are you _sure_ sure?"

Kabuto made a shooing motion with his hands and urged him towards the door.

"Positive. I know Takenaka-san wouldn't appreciate it if I kept you."

Kisame tugged on his sandals and shrugged on his jacket.

"Oh, and Kisame?"

He turned around, a strange something bouncing in his chest. The shorter man smiled.

"Could you tell Sakura-sama I'll show up in half an hour? I'll be cleaning some more and wash up before I head out." he said. Kisame forced a good-natured grin to his face despite that suddenly sinking feeling he felt.

"No problem."

_'What was I expecting?'_

::

Kisame's chin was planted on her desk, a dejected sigh emptying his lungs. He told her a million times that he wouldn't let it get this far, but yet again, he got himself royally screwed over. Sakura tousled his hair sympathetically.

"It's not like you could help it, you two see each other nearly every day and you get along really well. You can't say that you didn't see it coming."

He sighed again.

"I guess. But I didn't think I'd be drowning this much right now."

She stared at him curiously.

"Drowning?" Sakura questioned.

Kisame expanded his chakra, reaching around the tower to make sure no one was standing outside the door or the windows. He then looked up at her, a twinge of sadness in his eyes.

"Yeah. I love him."

::

Kakashi wasn't happy with this development.

A rather new issue had arisen within the confines of Konoha's walls: a drug cartel. It hadn't been a problem in the past-- not at all, in fact-- but incidents had begun to spring up around the older parts of the village. Lower income individuals were getting addicted to this odd purple pill, civilians and shinobi alike participating in the making, smuggling, and distribution. The knew nothing of who the leader was or how they managed to get into Konoha.

"Kurenai-san."

"Yes?"

"Get me Yamanaka Ino, Uchiha Sasuke, Aburame Shino, and Nara Shikamaru, please."

He waited patiently for those shinobi to trickle into his office one by one. Once they were all gathered, clad in the typical jounin outfits, he gave them their mission. Locate the smugglers, find the source, and eliminate the threat. He would've slated an Inuzuka to the team as will, but their noses were far too sensitive to the potency of the drug.

"I had a tracking team sent out before and we've located a trail. It suddenly ends just a little farther from the border, but I feel there's enough evidence for the four of you to make something out of it. Shikamaru, the team leader, spoke up.

"Where would we find the end of the trail?"

Kakashi handed over the scroll.

"Near Otogakure."

 


	5. For Her Sake, Not Yours.

Itachi in an apron was a sight they really didn't want to get used to.

They were standing in Tobi's kitchen with an expanse of ingredients on the counter top. Tobi and Itachi were wearing matching bright orange aprons with Sasori watching amusedly from a stool. A decent looking fish stared up at the younger Uchiha, slimy bubbled eye blank. It unnerved him to lock eyes with it in such a fashion, but he couldn't bring himself to look away.

"Okay, Itachi-senpai!"Tobi chirped, "So we'll try this method first. Sakura-sama loves food and would pretty much try anything. So we can start out with something simple-- fish! You know how to fry that at least, right?"

"No." Itachi answered. Sasori snorted as he ran a sharpening rock down a kunai. It was good to be honest, at least. Tobi's face dropped and he jumped closer to the other incredulously.

"N-Not even that? But you're twenty-nine years old!"

When he was a child, it was Uchiha tradition for the mother of the household to prepare all three meals for the family. That explained why he never learned to cook for the first thirteen years of his life. Up until he was twenty-three, Kisame would be the one to make their food if they weren't at a restaurant. And for the past six years, various vendors, grocery stores, and shops were at his disposal. He found no need to cook for himself.  _He didn't even own any pots or pans._

Tobi waved that off.

"Oh well, it's not a big deal. You're never too old to start anything. So! Here's how we start..."

** One Hour Later **

"I've seen cooked fish before. That's charcoal. I'm sorry that you're culinarily disabled." Sasori remarked. The three of them stared down at the pitch black lump sitting menacingly on a plate. Itachi, expectedly, gazed down at his horrifying creation like he assumed this would be the outcome.

"We could always try again!" Tobi exclaimed. He was determined to get at least something out of him that could appeal to Sakura-sama.

"I doubt that my skills could be curbed to a more... domestic. I was made to be a shinobi, not a chef." he said. Sasori's eyes narrowed at those words. He placed down the kunai and stone before taking one of the hard candies from the glass bowl to the left of him.

"So you're just going to give up? Is that it?" he drawled as he twisted the wrapper off, "Funny how the great Uchiha Itachi was defeated by a stove fire when he could breathe it himself."

Tobi placed the spatula in his hand on the table and retreated from the kitchen. It was one thing to get Sasori taunting, but it was a whole other ideal when the person he began taunting was the ever impassive Itachi. This had happened once before over a conversation discussing what the value of a life was, which resulted in half their base burned to ash and the remainder of the roof split to pieces.

Now, where did he put that fire extinguisher?

At his leaving, Itachi loosely crossed his arms and regarded the puppeteer coolly.

"Is there something you find unsatisfying?" he asked. Sasori gave him a smug smile that only incited an irritation in his bones.

"Oh,  _nothing_. Nothing at all. I just find that your attitude to your whole plight lackadaisical. I understand that you're not one to show your emotions, obviously, but it just seems like you're not serious about her at all." he mused, "I mean, you're a heartless killer, hm? Why would Sakura-sama want to be with a person who killed his entire family?"

In the hallway upon hearing those words, Tobi's haste turned into a frenzy as he tore through his things, looking for that fire extinguisher.

Itachi's eyes narrowed a fraction.

"I may have asked for your help, but don't think it wise for you to make me out as entertainment. If I were you, I would tread very carefully with this conversation." he said. His tone was calm as per usual, but any fool would know to keep their mouth shut or turn the topic to something else. Sasori happened to be a special type of fool. A smart one.

"I'm not doing this to get a kick out of you, believe it or not. I'm telling you this for her sake, not yours."

At Itachi's calculating expression, Sasori continued.

"The first time I met Sakura-sama, she was fifteen. Young and reckless, standing unabashedly at Chiyo-baa-sama's side. An idiot, I thought. She stood no chance. Because when you first looked at her, you could see that she wasn't made for fighting. But she decided to prove me wrong and I fell at her hands."

He folded the wrapper with the nimble fingers.

"Three years later, I find myself standing before her once more. Everyone before me decided to stay under her order and it made me think: She's strong, for one, but how was she able to make some of the world's most dangerous criminals join her ranks in such unassuming positions? The fifteen year old I met wasn't a leader. Far from one. Now I owe her nothing but gratitude." he said. Sasori held the wrapper up to the light, lazily observing the origami heron he made, "If it weren't for her, where would I be now? Buried underground with the rest of those Jomae shinobi?"

He set the heron aside.

"It may be early to bring this up, but I'll do it anyways since it's you after all."

He slid off the stool and walked around to stand face to face with Itachi. His fawn brown eyes turned unnaturally serious.

"That being said, I will serve Sakura-sama to the best of my ability. I will complete any mission she assigns, train my genin team to be exceptional shinobi, and do anything she asks of me. And because of her position, she's that type of person who considers other people's feelings before her own. If there is a threat that could hurt her in the future, I can assure you that I, along with many others, will not tolerate it. I owe her too much to let her make a mistake."

Sasori leaned closer.

"Are you going to be that mistake, or are you going to be the one that helps her?" he questioned. Itachi's jaw tightened.

"I--"

_KKKSSSSHHHHHHHHH!_

The next thing they knew, they were both assaulted by a stream of pressurized water and left in terribly cold, soaking clothes.

"I don't want my kitchen ruined!"


	6. So He's the Source.

He, Suigetsu, and Karin weren't all that comfortable in joining Konoha like Sasuke was. They didn't feel suited to be like those loyal shinobi, as they were more of Orochimaru's prisoners than followers. They didn't like the notion of bowing their heads like dogs. Having subjected to that for years and years really had a negative effect on a person.

Thankfully, the Godaime saw that and gave them a choice. They could stay and swear their allegiance, or they could work outside the village in a new research facility. It was owned and supplied by Konoha itself, but they would be the only ones to operate in the building. All they had to do was take on cases assigned and were able to do as they pleased in the future. How could they refuse?

So they worked and had a relatively normal life for some time now, save for Juugo's usual outbreak of anger. It was getting to the point where he had given up on trying to look for a cure. There wasn't anyone that could help him reverse what Orochimaru had done to him.

He firmly believed it too. At least until he heard about the new leader who attended the Kage Summit.

Haruno Sakura. That same person whose dead body convinced Sasuke to abandon his life-long dream of killing Itachi and returning to Konoha. That woman had managed to snag Orochimaru's interest from the grave and take the reigns of a village he never thought could become one of the Great Shinobi Nations. Juugo learned that their medical community was especially advanced. Days later, he came to discover that Otogakure was in possession of a clinic that dedicated itself to undoing all curse marks and seals of that sort. He had to try, didn't he?

Juugo asked for a while off to try out their treatments and see if they could actually do something for him. He took the short journey to Oto and ended up at their gates a crisp, Tuesday morning. When he arrived, he saw Kabuto standing at the entrance.

"Juugo-san. It's nice to see you again." he greeted. Juugo eyed him distrustfully.

"... How did you know I was coming?"

"Don't worry about it." Kabuto smiled, "What brings you here?"

Juugo unconsciously raised a hand to knead the junction between his neck and his shoulder. Kabuto understood perfectly and beckoned him to follow.

"I see. I'll bring you to the clinic."

The two of them weaved through the streets, passing the population of store owners opening up shop for the day and the clusters of clubbers and drinkers heading home to nurse a future hangover. Juugo observed the village in wide-eyed curiosity. This place had a cozy, open feeling to it. There was something about this village...

... He didn't know what it was, but he was drawn to it.

They entered the Medical District soon enough and came upon a building adequately labeled Juinjutsu and Experimentation. The inside was almost empty with a doctor or two and a handful of nurses working behind the desk or walking down the halls. There was one in particular that caught his eye, and she was conversing with someone across the counter. She noticed their entry and wrapped up her talking with a cheery smile and a wave before making her way over to them.

"Good morning, Kabuto. Is he the one who entered the country last night?" she asked. Juugo's interest was piqued once more. How did she find out about it? Kabuto nodded.

"This is Juugo-san. He was one of Orochimaru's prime subjects of experimentation with his in-born ability to absorb natural energy. This discovery led him to Ryuuchi Cave and learning sage mode. But since Orochimaru couldn't use sage mode properly, he created cursed seals by combining senjutsu chakra and isolated mutative enzymes from Juugo-san's blood."

Juugo shifted his weight from foot to foot and kept his head down. Sakura looked him over, eyes showing no sigh of disgust or anger.

"So he's the source."

"Yes, Sakura-sama."

She kept her gaze on him even longer before a soft smile lit up her face. Seeing it made all Juugo's discomfort wash away in a wave of warmth. The smile made him feel safe and secure, like he could leave his whole being in her hands and trust her to keep it completely safe.

"Juugo-san, could you please tell me the extent of the problem?" she questioned. Her voice was soothing and gentle, urging him to place his trust in her. He complied easily.

"Yes, I... um, each time Orochimaru-san experimented on me, it continued to render me mentally unstable. I burst into uncontrollable fits of rage from time to time and haven't been able to control it so much. They're not as frequent as before, but it still happens." he said. Sakura took on a thoughtful expression.

"I have something in mind. Since your rage was brought on forcefully through several traumatic experiences, I doubt that any medicine would have worked on you. What have you been given?"

He listed everything prescribed to him in the past, earning him a small frown.

"As I suspected. Drugs can't control your rage. Though, would you be averse to obtaining a seal? Not any of Orochimaru's, of course, but one that I developed some years ago modeled like it. All your rage caused by that experience would be contained in that seal, and the strength of that seal directly correlates to your will to keep it in. It's a last option, but I'm assuming you wouldn't have come here otherwise, right?"

Juugo nodded somberly.

"At this point, I'll try anything."

Suddenly, Sakura gave him an assuring grin that rooted him to the spot.

"Well, Juugo-san, we'll help you in any way we can. If this seal doesn't work, we'll look even further into your case to help you control your rage. Unfortunately, I do have to return to my office for work, but I'll have someone start preparations for the seal. Sound good to you?" she chirped, holding her fist out. He stared at her wondrously before moving his gaze to the hand in front of him.

"Y-Yeah..."

He reluctantly turned the fist bump. Her grin grew wider as she clapped him on the shoulder and headed towards the door. He spun around and stared after her, thinking of the oddity of how his first encounter with her turned out.

She's...

...

_She's so cool._


	7. What Brings You Here?

It wasn't the best idea to take his break in his office, Itachi decided five minutes into his lunch hour. All he wanted was to enjoy his plain seaweed onigiri and not be bothered. But the second he took his first bite, Deidara and Hidan burst into his office sputtering their usual nonsense.

"You should try coding!"

Itachi took another bite as he gave them a flat stare. Deidara rolled his eyes and planted both gloved hands on the desk.

"Sakura-sama's pretty smart, right, un?" Deidara questioned, "She studied medicine, became one of the top medics, and was able to create an antidote for one of Danna's specialty poisons."

Hidan sat in the seat beside the blonde and held up a paper with a diagram on it.

"So you should do something like coding. You know, put 'You're pretty fucking hot' or something like that, let her code it herself, and BAM! She gets the message. Literally." he grinned. Itachi was already taking lessons from Tobi on how to cook a simple, decent dish and found that time consuming enough.

"Are you that sure of this plan that you decided to type and print it?" he asked. Hidan blinked and looked at the sheet in his hands.

"Print? I wrote this shit out."

Deidara did a double take before snatching the paper from his hands and peering at the labeled diagram intently. He thought it was printed too.

"What the hell, un? How the fuck can you draw straight lines and write in Ubuntu Condensed font?!"

Ignoring them like always, Itachi finished his onigiri and threw his trash away in the bin beside his desk. That idea didn't seem all to bad to catch her attention. He wasn't much of a verbal man himself, and subtle things like these were sure to bring some things to light. He looked at the pair of annoyances in his office as he got out some of his work folders.

He would bide his time.

Surely she wouldn't find a significant other by then, would she?

::

Shino immediately knew that he wasn't going to be a huge fan of Ta no Kuni. He kept his insects to himself in fear that they'd get eaten by the ridiculous amount of owls that surrounded them. Granted, these types probably wouldn't take to eating his bugs, but there was no way in hell he was going to take that chance.

Their team walked down a snow-ridden path in deafening silence with Shikamaru at the front and everyone else following after. Shino expected this to happen. He clearly remembered the moment Lee tugged down a stranger's hood to reveal none other than Haruno Sakura. He didn't know her as well as Naruto or Ino had, but it was enough for him to feel that twinge of sadness at her passing. He couldn't say anything when he laid his eyes on her and kept his mouth shut as he and Lee escorted her to the Hokage's office. There, he stayed to listen to her explanation of the last eight years, leaving only when Lee started to get emotional.

Shino didn't blame her for leaving. If he had teammates like Naruto and Sasuke, a teacher like Kakashi, and no clan to fall back on, he would've done the same. How tiring it must have been to be constantly compared to people obviously on a different level. He imagined that Sakura felt like she was set to a higher standard because of how strong the people around her were.

She was a decent kunoichi. Maybe a little more than decent due to her intelligence.

But her team was comprised of monsters, to put it politely. They were menaces in terms of strength and power. It was only natural for her to decide that she wanted to rise above them and become better than the weak little girl everyone accounted her as-- he being no less guilty than the next person. What else could he say? There was something in him that wanted to apologize for even thinking that.

The sight of Otogakure's gates neared as the trail ended.

Shino questioned her action to lead everyone to think she had died, but he couldn't bring himself to be upset over it. With Sasuke's leaving and Naruto's path to becoming Hokage, they couldn't have expected her to take that sitting down.

Shikamaru slowed as they approached the village. Well, it looked much newer than Konoha with tall metal gates rather than wooden ones, Oto's symbol emblazoned proudly on the front. The team headed for the guard stand. They recoiled slightly in shock at the sight of a redhead sitting on the table. Sasuke grit his teeth.

"The dead just keep coming back, don't they?" he scowled. Sasori smirked.

"So bitter." he hummed, "Why not indulge in the sweet things like your brother?"

Sasuke's anger flared at the mere mention of the man, though he didn't notice the double meaning underlying those words. Sasori quickly changed the topic as he moved his eyes over to Shikamaru.

"What brings you here?"

"We have questions to ask of the Otokage."

"Regarding?"

"That's classified."

Sasori nodded and hopped off the table. He glanced to the side at the trio of young kunoichi that made their way towards them.

"I would  _love_  to escort you to her office, but luckily for you, I have a mission." he drawled, turning towards the kunoichi, "Keep to the main road and you'll find yourself at the building. The front is where the glass doors are-- go straight in. Sakura-sama's expecting you."

Ino flinched and Sasuke turned his head at the sound of her name. Shikamaru's eyebrows knit together as he cast a cursory stare at the group of girls who couldn't be older than twelve and led his team deeper into the village. Of course their arrival would have been accounted for. The owls were her intricate system after all. Though he had to admit he was surprised that Sasori, the man that turned sand red wherever he went, had become a genin sensei.

Ino tapped his arm.

"How did she know we were coming?"

"She has owl summons now. Kakashi-sama, Kurenai-sensei, and I met one of them at the Summit." he replied. He pointedly left out the part that owl summons were only a part of her information system and that she most likely had normal, everyday owls working under her command as well. How, he still didn't know.

Ino pursed her lips and kept her eyes on her feet.

_'Forehead... what happened to you?'_


	8. Fight Me.

Sakura wasn't looking forward to part two of  _'Just please let me explain myself'_. She said her part and gave the information she deemed necessary. There was nothing else she could tell them, aside from her reason of feeling like she had no other place in Konoha any longer.

She kept a perfectly neutral face as the team was let into the office. It was just like one of the owls reported: one with bugs, one with long blonde hair, the one who attended the Summit, and one with dark, heavy chakra.

Very heavy chakra.

Sakura pulled on a placid smile like the one she used professionally. Kabuto stood at her right side, and Kisame sat on the window sill with his feet propped up on the desk and a sharp grin plastered on his face.

"Welcome to Otogakure." she greeted, "To what do I owe this visit?"

"There's an issue regarding psychoactive drugs." Shikamaru began. Sakura motioned Kabuto to have him seal off the room, "It's being smuggled into the village. There's a trail we're following and it leads right to you, and suspicion has been raised."

Sakura's eyes lit up mysteriously.

"What does the drug look like?" she questioned. He took out a small plastic bag with three dark purple tablets and placed it on the desk. Sakura took one glance at it before reclining in her seat and folding her hands in her lap.

"Give me three days." she said, "And I'll have something for you to report to Kakashi-san. I'll have accommodations set up for you until then."

Shikamaru nodded.

"Thank you."

That was supposed to be it. The meeting was meant to be short and sweet and this was going to be as peaceful as possible. It was fine. No one acted up. At least, no one _should_  have. The team was about to take their leave when Sasuke abruptly turned around. He walked up to Sakura's desk and stared her down with blazing eyes.

"Fight me."

Ino grabbed his shoulder.

"Sasuke, what are you doing?!"

He didn't budge. He kept his glare locked with hers, getting more and more worked up when she didn't give the slightest reaction. There person who dared to defend that murderer hadn't even flinched at the challenge, merely tilting her head.

"Kabuto."

"Ma'am?"

Her eyes glittered.

"When am I free?"

::

Sakura walked more on the side streets of Otogakure as to not too much attention to herself. She waved and exchanged a few pleasantries with the people she passed on her way to the downtown area.

She recognized the drugs Shikamaru provided for her. They used to circulate in Otogakure when she first arrived, but quickly ended their production when she won that poker game the day Zetsu came for the month. She didn't know if it was the exact same substance, but she already made it top priority for them to be decoded at the labs. If the drug was in fact theirs, then she'd have to send spies out to track down the fool who tried to frame Oto for this new smuggling business.

A sigh slipped past her lips. She felt like something along this line would happen after revealing herself to the world. It had to be someone who didn't like her ascension to the current position of Kage. And right now, only one viable suspect came to mind.

Someone she wouldn't mind killing, really.

Sakura slowed her steps to a stop. She felt no need to turn around to see who had followed her all this way.

"Did you need something from me?" she questioned. Ino rubbed the side of her arm, eyes dropped to the side as she bit the inside of her cheek.

"Foreh-- _Sakura_...s-sama. Could... Is it possible for us to talk? Just for a little bit, I promise I won't take up too much of your time." she said. Sakura could hear the quiet hurt in her voice and gave a silent sigh. Ino was one of the many people she didn't wish to hurt because of her decision. It was a ridiculous dream to think of an outcome like that, but she supposed she could use this time to tie together some of the bond she severely severed.

"I have some business at the moment. But I'll be available at about six. There's a shop called  _Bubble's Mochi_ at the west side. We can meet there."

Sakura didn't turn around once. Ino watched as she walked away, wondering-- hopelessly wondering-- how that little girl who was bullied because of her forehead had turned into... _this_. She didn't mean it in a bad way, it was just that Sakura was different now. Calmer. More easy-going.

Is... this was eight years does to a dead person?

::

Sakura stepped into one of the older bars, waving and going over to the small bartender. He was a man in his early thirties with a baby face, standing at 5'0" exactly and always having a bright smile on his face.

"Evenin', Sakura-sama!" he chirped, "He ta' see Aihara-san?"

"Mm. Keep an eye out, Akihito-chan?"

"Yes ma'am!"

She smiled before traveling deeper into the bar. Aihara Arata used to be the leader of one of the most prominent drug rings in the village. They met in the August near the mark of her two-year stay with a bet. He wins the poker game, she gives two million and leaves the gang alone. She wins, his dissolves his gang and turns over any and all drugs he has access to. She won.

Now Sakura wasn't going to rub that victory in his face, nor boast about the loss of his whole syndicate. Actually, she thought it would be too much to take all he ever worked for away from him. So she offered him a deal.

He would cease all illegal activity-- drugs, theft, prostitution, and others along the same road-- but would be able to keep the entirety of his gang, as long as he kept his primary allegiance under her. Aihara would still be a prime figure in the underground system and inform her of anything odd or suspicious, with her paying him for their services, of course. He would also still be able to take jobs as long as he had her seal of approval.

How could he refuse?

Sakura opened one of the back doors and stepped into the dimly lit room. There looked to be a whole other bar in here with rougher individuals and another bartender, Akihito's identical twin, Akihiro. He nodded once in her direction before continuing to clean glasses. She walked to the far corner of the secret bar to where Arata sat, clean cut and in a custom tailored suit. Every person she passed bowed their head in respect.

"Sakura-sama." Arata greeted, "It's been a while since you've come. Couldn't find the time to pay a visit to little ol' me?"

Her whole demeanor suddenly changed, taking on something darker as she flashed a teasing smile.

"Sorry that you don't enjoy the peace, princess. Luckily for you, something's come up. Your happy pills are back on the market, all over Konoha's streets turning baby habits into the real deal." she informed. He frowned.

"You've had all of them ever since we got batted out. You sure that no one's snuck into your inventory to take some bags?"

"Everything's there and accounted for. And from what I saw, they weren't blanks. Seller's probably making a fortune."

Arata scowled. He made the formula for those pills himself. Who wouldn't think he'd get ticked off for someone getting all the credit?

"I want you to find out what going on down there." she continued, "Every little detail, every person involved, and anything else that you might find interesting. Any of you get caught, I'll bail you out no big deal. I need this all in three days time, no later than five sharp. We clear?"

He sipped at his drink.

"How much?"

"A million in your hand tomorrow morning. And an extra five hundred thousand if no one's suspicious."

He smirked and shook her hand.

"Always a pleasure doing business with you, Sakura-sama."

Some people might call her interactions with black market members dirty, which was something Sakura had to scoff at. Eight years in a village used to thrive on crime really opened someone's eyes, especially if that someone had fought against everything to make the village as great as it was now. Nothing was pretty in this line of work.

She was a shinobi, for fuck's sake.

She couldn't get any dirtier than that.

::

**Aihara Arata first appears in the chapter _August_  in Otokage.**

**Also, I don't think I've mentioned this, but I really do appreciate all your comments! Any language or length, I read them all and you guys have really helped me to keep writing. So thank you!**


	9. I Don't Remember Anymore

The two of them sat in  _Bubble's Mochi_ , Ino in an uncomfortable silence and the other looking like there was nothing bothering her. Sakura bit into her mango mochi with her back straightened like that of a higher rank.

"Sakura...sama--"

"Sakura is just fine when it's the both of us." the Otokage said. She took another bite, "As you were saying, Ino?"

Ino drew in a deep breath as she willed herself to look her old friend straight in the eye. Those green irises seemed unrecognizable, being thoroughly saturated with years upon years of being a shinobi. She'd only seen a look like that in veteran shinobi hardened by battle and the sight of many, many deaths.

"I'm slowly seeing why you did this, but after seeing you like this... Seeing you as the leader of this village... Sakura, what happened to you? What... You're not as loud and it's like you've lost the ability to get upset!" she exclaimed. Sakura observed how her face tinged pink with exasperation. She then took a sip of her hojicha tea.

"Maybe it's because we grew up in such a nice village. The first Kage we knew was a kind old man and everyone could've been the nicest person in the whole world, only if you weren't Naruto, sadly enough. Konoha shinobi thrived on positive emotions and it wasn't any different for us. After leaving, I saw that the other villages certainly weren't like us. We're too nice and merciful. But since coming here, I think I've lost some of that."

Sakura plucked another mango mochi from the plate in front of her.

"Six years passed and I had done more than I'd ever imagined. It didn't strike until I experienced what being a shinobi meant by it carving into my bones. Literally."

The memory of her and Kabuto being captured and tortured for two weeks rang through her mind. She was twenty-one years old when it happened, the worst of her wounds leaving her torso and thighs horribly scarred and put Kabuto in physical therapy for the better of three months. They escaped when she head-butted an assaulter, fracturing her skull in the process, and self-dislocating her shoulder to wriggle herself out of the bindings.

It was also in that moment she felt something in her head snap. But she didn't know what it was.

She quickly disregarded both that thought and Ino's surprised stare.

"What I'm getting at is that I've grown out of Konoha's ideals. Shinobi aren't good people, Ino, no matter what everyone might say. We take things. We gather information. We kill people." Sakura said, a small but cruel smile reaching her lips, but not her eyes, "The latter one, especially. How many people do you think have died by my hands?"

Ino clenched her fists.

"... How many?"

" _I don't remember anymore._ "

A shiver ran down the blonde's spine.

"I don't remember how many people I've buried. I don't remember how many lives were lost because of me. I don't know how many families I've destroyed. But do you know what I do remember? I remember the looks on their faces when I cut them down. When I murder them. When I take away everything they ever had."

Ino couldn't move her eyes away. She had killed before, yes, but only in the worst of circumstances and she could list the names of those people and count them off on her fingers. Green eyes had shadowed, giving off an unforgiving and unregretful air. Truthfully? The person sitting across from her frightened her out of her wits. This wasn't Sakura. It couldn't be. Whoever this is was... was...

"When you kill these people, their blood stains your hands. You wonder why you can't get it off-- why not even bleach can wash the color away. It's a contradiction. I'm a medic, but I have to kill. It really changes someone, you know?"

The shadow abruptly disappeared from her stare and the air around them returned to normal. Sakura took the last mochi from her plate.

"Does that answer your question?" she asked. Ino was silent for a long while before her lips curled up in anger.

"You... You  _stupid forehead_."

::

Shikamaru sighed as he entered a convenience store to buy a pack of cigarettes. He was content with his team in terms of them not doing anything impulsive. Ino was the one he expected to act out from the four of them, but he was certain that she'd mellow down because Sakura was here. Now there was going to be a fight outside the village at her personal training grounds tomorrow at three. It was an out of the blue type of demand that he didn't expect her to take him up on. He slid into the junk food section. He was already here, he might as well take a snack too.

In the middle of deciding what chips to get, he heard a voice snarl from the aisle beside him.

"You're seriously getting rainbow goldfish, hm? You're not five. I think you can be a big kid and get the regular kind, un."

"But I like the green ones!"

"... Where did I go wrong with you, un?"

A relatively tall man turned into the aisle with a chipper smile on his face and his eyes seeking out those goldfish snacks. Shikamaru recognized him as the diplomat who stayed in Konoha for the duration o the Exchange Program. Tobi, if he recalled correctly. As he took a bag of goldfish from the shelf and turned, he caught Shikamaru's eye.

"Hey, you're Nara-san, right?"

Shikamaru nodded.

"Yeah. Tobi-san?"

They shook hands. Was he the one the council members talked about? The other one on the list of the dead who suddenly decided to make their appearance. The Uchiha.

"Are you here on a mission?" Tobi asked. Tobi did have some features that could pass for one of the clan's and did have a similarity to both Sasuke and Itachi. The scars threw him off, though.

"A small one."

"I see, I see."

He looked too kind to be a previous member of the Akatsuki.

"Oi, Tobi! How long does it take for you to get your goddamn rainbow, hm?!"

"Coming, senpai!"

He smiled at Shikamaru and excused himself to return to Deidara. Before he left, he mouthed a few words so subtly that the Nara had nearly missed it. But he sure as hell didn't miss the wide grin and the way his mismatched eyes flashed the same shade of blood red.

_"Don't cause any trouble, okay?"_


	10. By Your Brother.

Jiraiya blinked as he gave an impressed whistle.

"These gates look pretty scary." he said.

"Gates? _Gates?!_ " Naruto cried, pointing down the road behind him, "Did you see all those owls with their big stupid eyes? They were gonna kill us, dattebayo!"

It was at Naruto's constant insistence that they cut their leisure time to hurry over and place their first training spot near Otogakure. He wanted to see Sakura again and spend as much time with her as possible before he became Hokage. He glanced down at his kunai holster and at the old red hitai-ate tied around it.

"They're just birds, gaki."

"Who were lookin' at us like we were the next to die."

Naruto huffed and strode over to the gates. He stumbled over his own feet when two Akatsuki members, as well as Ino, Shikamaru, and Shino, walked through. His jaw dropped at the ridiculous collection of shinobi.

"Naruto!" Ino exclaimed, "What are you doing here? I thought you went to train."

"I came to see Sakura-chan... Why're all you guys together? You're a weird looking group, you know."

Shikamaru opened his mouth to reply, but was interrupted a loud explosion of fire to the side of them. It was followed by the sound of breaking ground and the familiar battle cry of _'SHANNARO!!'_. He sighed.

"We're here because Sasuke wouldn't stop being so troublesome."

::

Everyone who knew about the fight wanted to see it. Kisame left Takenaka Suzume's, the ANBU Director's, office and was about to bee-line towards the training grounds. But before he went, Itachi inevitably came to mind and he hurried over to the hospital instead. He took the stairs to the pediatric floor, spotting Hidan and Itachi conversing at the nurse's station.

"Itachi-san, have you taken your break yet?"

He turned to Kisame curiously.

"No. Why?"

There was a burst of fire outside the village walls. Everyone took a glance at it before continuing on with their work. The citizens of Otogakure were so accustomed to their Kage's intense training regime and sparring sessions that if there was any commotion at that specific part of the village, they'd chalk it up to being one of those days.

"She's training during the week?" Hidan mused, "Why? Someone piss her off or something?"

"She was challenged yesterday."

Kisame looked back to Itachi.

"By your brother."

::

Tobi sat on the high cement wall as he watched the battle in the distance. He was by himself, allowing him to observe with greater interest using his sharingan. Sasuke's sword was out and crackling with  lightning as he slashed at Sakura with every intent to kill. She dodged each slice of the blade before slamming her heel into the ground, stone spikes coming up and puncturing every place Sasuke stepped on.

He winced when Sakura managed to appear an inch or two in front of her opponent, brought her fist back, then clocked him in the chest. Sasuke collided with several trees until he shunshinned above her.

Sasuke was good. Very good. He fought with a touch of Orochimaru in him that he didn't think the younger knew he had. But Tobi found himself at a biased judgement with Sakura. When she trained, she trained herself to the brink of physical and mental exhaustion for the entirety of a twenty-four hour period, which was the reason why she trained only once every two weeks.

She would be alone most days to personally improve strength and speed. With her owls, she'd blindfold herself and ask them to come at her as quickly as they could. Every owl she blocked was a point for her, and every hit she endured was an injury she wouldn't heal until the end of the session as well as something that would reset her score.

If she was on schedule for a spar, it would be with either Kisame or Kakuzu. All fights were full power. It took Sakura a few years to actually start to win.

The way Sakura trained herself was like something he'd never seen before. She pushed herself to become a kunoichi-- no-- a _shinobi_ that the whole village would look up to without question. To him, she already achieved it quite some time ago. And looking at the fight now, he firmly believed Sasuke was at a grave disadvantage. He might have trained hard, but it was fueled by raw hate; a poison. Sakura's feelings behind her actions were nothing like his, making her will stronger that his would ever be.

Tobi saw something begin to spread on Sasuke's skin. The curse mark. Sakura pulled out a slip of paper from her belt. In one fluid motion, she flipped over his shoulder and pressed said paper on the seal, stopping the transformation and forcing it back into the three comas is came from. Sasuke spun around angrily.

"Where did you get that seal?" he  demanded. He aimed several flaming projectiles in her direction to which she responded with a simple substitution. She reappeared at his side and struck at him with chakra scalpels.

"Why are you relying on a power that you never earned for yourself?" Sakura countered. She used a kunai to block the sword that came down on her. Tobi exhaled. Sasuke was lucky Sakura wouldn't waste her Yin seal on him. Had she released it, the only chance he had to take her on was by unlocking his mangekyo.

"You've got a fucking great view. I don't know why everyone else decided to stay down there."

He looked at Hidan, who had taken a seat beside him.

"So Itachi-senpai did come."

"Yep. His dumbass little bro decides to come a... nd...?"

Hidan's words slowed down as he squinted his eyes to peer at the other man closer. Tobi cocked his head. Was there something wrong? Was there something on his face?

"Wh--"

" _You're a motherfucking Uchiha?!_ "

::

**Age List (canon differences):**

**Sakura, along with the rest of Konoha Twelve: 24**

**Deidara: 26**

**Itachi: 29**  

**Kabuto, Hidan: 30**

**Tobi, Kakashi: 37**   

**Kisame, Kurenai: 39**

**Sasori, Konan, Nagato: 43**

**Jiraiya, Tsunade: 61**   

**Kakuzu: 99**


	11. Well, What Made You?

Naruto had never seen Sakura like this.

Not to say that she was weak or anything like that. She never was. To him, at the very least. But the person fighting Sasuke in front of him right now was incredible. She seemed to be performing only taijutsu, but was matching up his rival blow for blow.

Sakura slammed her fist into the ground, rocking the earth so greatly that it almost knocked Naruto off his feet.

Scratch that. She just might be a little better than Sasuke.

He shook himself from his awe and glanced to the others. Jiraiya observed her movements keenly as he leaned against the bark of a tree, not taking his eyes off the battle for even a second. Ino's eyes were wide and disbelieving, probably imagining just how in the world her best friend got to where she was right now. Shikamaru, surprisingly, was in a similar state, Shino not too far from it. Naruto looked further down the line at the Akatsuki members.

The tall one, Kaki-whats-it, didn't look too concerned that the training grounds were being ripped to shreds. He took on a more calculative stare at the scene before him, like he was assessing the battle rather than watching it. Sasori, on the other hand, looked smug as hell. He still really didn't like that guy.

Naruto tore his eyes away and looked back at the fight. He could barely make out the outline of Kabuto on the other side of the field. That asshole had been here when the group of them arrived, acting as the moderator, he guessed. He was her right hand man, right?

He tugged his orange jacket tighter around him and tried to keep his jaw from dropping when Itachi and Kisame walk up behind Kabuto. He couldn't hear a word they said, but he saw that didn't say much and went on to watch the fight themselves.

Naruto frowned while turning his attention back to Sakura. Seriously, how could he have been so blind to his teammate?

::

_How did the fuck did she get so strong?!_

Sasuke hissed as he dodged the numerous strikes of glowing blue hands. He was actually starting to get tired and most, if not all, of his ribs were either cracked or broken. They were pushing against his lungs, making it harder and harder to breathe as time went on. It also didn't help that she was beating him with only taijutsu and medical ninjutsu.

His sharingan helped to better predict her movements, but there wasn't a single genjutsu he could pull to get inside her head. He absolutely hated having to admit that he was losing to her. _To her._

Crybaby Sakura.

Her being at such a close proximity made his fire attacks invalid, forcing him to rely on chidori-related attacks, his sword, and the taijutsu skills that definitely weren't on par with hers. Sasuke grit his teeth as he clenched his fist and sending shock wave of electricity in her direction. Sakura disappeared from view, leaving him alone on the field.

Sasuke's grip tightened on the hilt of his sword as he assessed his surroundings. He didn't notice all the people that had come to watch the fight. Two people were sat on the high wall: Hidan and that diplomat, who were immersed in their own conversation rather than watching the battle.The dobe was here unfortunately, as well as some of those damn Akatsuki members and his teammates. A bird was flying high up in the air. Deidara, probably. Then there were the three on the opposite side from the larger crowd.

Kabuto. Kisame. And _that man_. The two of them locked eyes for a split second, Itachi looking impassive as ever and anger starting to rage through his veins.

Sakura defended the damned demon. What about him could po--

"Even Academy students know not to get distracted."

::

Haruno Sakura was a monster, and he meant that in the best way possible.

But the battle he was watching gave rise to some unsettling images. Sasuke and Sakura fighting was almost like looking into a mirror and seeing Tsunade and Orochimaru fighting each other. They were so similar that he wondered if Team Seven was a strange reincarnation of Team Hiruzen.

The sensei became Hokage.

One left for power and later came to murder their mentor.

Another became a sage while striving to better who they were.

The last left to find themselves before surprising everyone in becoming a leader of a village that needed to be rebuilt.

Jiraiya rubbed his eyes and let out a small sigh. He wasn't averse to having a legacy of the sannin, but he never imagined that these legacies would have such a terribly uncanny resemblance. When he focused back to the fight, he saw Sakura retract her fist.

"CHA!"

He hand met the already destroyed ground, shooting a thick cloud of dust at the spectators and creating such an enormous crater that it made everyone retreat several meters backwards. Jiraiya covered his nose and mouth with his hand as he swatted the air around him to clear it.

"Holy shit!" Naruto coughed, "I think she might've killed him!"

::

Well, he wasn't quite dead even though he certainly must feel like it. Sakura gazed down at the him, holding a glowing hand to her shoulder to slow the bleeding. Sasuke was on his knees with his head bowed down, a hand holding his chest as the other gripped the dirt beneath him. A few drops of blood fell from his lips.

"I don't understand you." he said, not looking up at her, "You... went from that naive kunoichi that barely did a thing to a Kage that accepted even _Itachi_."

He coughed, more red gurgling out of his throat.

"I don't know if you've grown up or got more idiotic."

Sakura scoffed lightly. She crouched down and moved Sasuke into a sitting position. Hand still growing green, she held it up to his chest to delay the internal damage until she could get him to a hospital.

"You still have a nasty attitude, as always. I wonder how Naruto puts up with you." she sighed. The dust still sat heavily in the air around and above them. Sasuke kept silent for a while, his long bangs hiding his eyes.

"Back in Konoha..."

She eyed him curiously.

"... you asked me to forgive him... didn't you?"

Sakura let the green fade away as she stood and dusted off her front. She frowned, finding that her shirt had been singed in numerous places.

"I did."

"What makes him deserving of second chance?"

"Well, what made you?"

Sasuke was silent. She was right, wasn't she? He killed so many people under Orochimaru's tutelage and on his quest to find Itachi, but Konoha still welcomed him back with open arms. But Itachi's crimes were far more worthy of all punishments that came his way. He killed his entire clan in one night, for god's sake. Sasuke wanted nothing more for him to burn in hell.

But... she saw good in him. Somehow in that mess of darkness, he had appeared at least a little human.

He blinked when an outstretched hand entered his vision, making him look up at Sakura's smiling face with furrowed brows.

"Come on, Sasuke. We need to get you to the hospital."

The dust had cleared by now, showing the bright sun in the midst of the chilly afternoon. He then stared at her hand. It was a small thing covered in calluses and scars worn from hard work and years of getting stronger on her own. A working hand, that clawed and gripped their way to the very top without so much as another to help it.

He took it and let himself be lifted up.


	12. Um... Surprise?

"Over already?" Sasori mused, "How boring. I expected more blood or at least the Uchiha to lose a limb or two."

With the air clear, they could see Sakura and Sasuke slowly making their way out of the crater. Sasori and Kakuzu met them at the edge.

"Take him to the hospital, please." Sakura directed. Kakuzu nodded, slinging Sasuke's arm over his shoulders and disappearing in a small wisp of smoke. Kabuto came up to her with his book opened.

"You have a stack of documents that need to be signed within the hour." he informed, pushing up his glasses. She nodded as she took and slipped on the cloak he offered her.

"I'll be in the office in fifteen."

Sakura waved at the Konoha shinobi on the sidelines before disappearing herself. She reappeared at the door of her apartment-- a decent sized flat with three rooms, a fully-stocked kitchen, and a large living area the same length as the balcony. She insisted that she didn't need such a large home, being all on her own, but Kabuto wouldn't hear it.

She tossed her cloak across the back of her couch as she entered her room. Standing in front of her full body mirror, she stripped off her shirt and shorts. Her arms were lightly laced with thin white lines that presented the results of her years of training in Otogakure. The same thing proved true with her shins and calves. But if you looked at her thighs and torso, they told a much different story.

On her right thigh was a diagonal mark that ran from the side of her hip to the middle of her inner thigh. It was part of what she sustained during that long torture session years before. Her tormentor liked to use an incredibly blunt kunai to carve all the way through bone. One her left thigh was a set of seals designed to give the appearance of a paint brush stroke tattoo that wrapped around twice. Those were the only copies of files and documents of extremely classified caliber and could only be accessed by her.

Her stomach displayed a hard six pack with three ragged lines form the time she saved Sasori from the Jomae and the one clean cut from the time he impaled her with a poisoned sword. A deeper cut lay on the side of her stomach, also form her time in torture.

Beneath her breasts on her lower rib cage was a scar in the shape of an _X_ , the result of a brutal spar between her and Kisame when she was nineteen. On her chest near her shoulders and neck were seven more crudely cut scars from the Jomae altercation and probably some more from torture. She couldn't recall which one was which.

Sakura turned around to see the markings on her back. There were a few scars here and there from various other fights including discoloration from acid burns, but there were two specific ones that stood out the most. The first and most obvious was the long, deep slash she received from Asuma's chakra blade The second was a brand at the base of her neck;  another one of those _wonderful_ souvenirs from her torturers. Kabuto had one as well in the same place with the same kanji.

** _Shinobi_ **

She hummed, tapping the inch and a half long scar on her right cheek.

"Hm... I wonder how much darker I've gotten from all that training outside..."

Sakura went into her bathroom to take a quick shower and heal the remainder of her injuries.

::

Deidara hopped down from his bird to meet with the other ex-Akatsuki members who gathered in the ruins of the training grounds. The Konoha nin had gone back within Oto's walls, leaving the rest of them to repair the grounds for another day. Zetsu had made a surprise arrival, saying that he came a couple hours before to see how things were and witnessed the fight himself. Though, Tobi looked a little nervous for some reason.

"So... there's something I think you guys should know."

Zetsu fell silent among everyone else. Was he going to--?

"My name's not really Tobi... It's Obito."

There were a few heartbeats before Kisame narrowed his eyes.

"What? So you dropped a letter and scrambled the rest? Why?" he questioned. While he was being bombarded with other incredulous statements, Itachi frowned as the realization trickled through his thoughts. He knew Tobi was somehow related to the Uchiha either full-blooded or not, but he had never imagined he'd be _that_ one. In fact, everyone had some inkling about Tobi even when he hadn't breathed a word or made any mention with his sharingan. Mostly everyone.

"Obito." Itachi repeated, "As in the Uchiha who had been a student of the Yondaime Hokage?"

There was a thrum of quiet listening until all the attention slowly returned to Tobi. He chuckled sheepishly and allowed his eyes to swirl red.

"Um... surprise?"

...

...

...

"KATSU!"

And unfortunately, that mostly everyone did not include Deidara.

::

An eleven year old boy walked through the pediatric floor with some folders and papers in his arms. He smiled at the nurses and doctors that waved at him as he weaved through this large section of the hospital. He was a normal Academy boy that went to school and got good grades like anyone would expect, but he was one who'd dedicate a lot of his afternoons helping out the man he really looked up to.

Rinha Hidan.

Hidan was one of the best doctors in the whole community with quite an admiral reputation behind him, having studied merely one year and carrying out his title for the next five with definitely more to come. Not to mention all the lives he managed to save the short time he spent as a full-fledged surgeon. Matsumoto Hikaru might be the head of the department, but Hidan undoubtedly could take the position if he truly wanted to.

The boy turned the knob to Hidan's office and set down the load on the pig-sty of a desk. As neat as his handwriting may be, he might as well be one of the least organized people in the world. But that's how Hidan's was, he wasn't complaining. In two years once he had learned all basic medicinal knowledge, he would become Hidan's apprentice even master utilizing chakra for healing.

His chakra understanding and control was already better than most, seeing that it was his only way to sense people.

He was deaf, after all.

Someone strode into the room and the boy turned towards the doorway. It was Hidan himself with a wide grin on his face as he raised his hands to talk.

_Yo, Kioshi!_ Hidan signed, _How's my little assistant today?_

::

**Hachimitsu Kioshi**

**The boy in chapter _July_  of Otokage\-- ** **Hidan's very first patient.**


	13. One Day

"Sakura-chan, let's get dinner! I'll pay, dattebayo!"

Well she sure as hell wasn't denying that offer. At around eight in the evening, Kabuto let her off for day day, probably because of that rigorous spar she participated in four hours before. Naruto happily dragged her around town while babbling for a solid few minutes before realizing that he had never been in this village before, therefore he had absolutely no idea where he was going.

He turned around, his hand still clasped tightly around hers.

"Uh.. so... you know any good places?" he asked. Sakura chuckled and led him in the opposite direction towards the center of the village.

"I know this great ramen shop a few minutes from here."

"Ramen?! Let's go!!"

It was the place she'd frequent if she was in a noodle type of mood. It had great food, wasn't too crowded, and was an unsuspecting restaurant she'd sometimes bring diplomats to. They sat in a cozy corner of the shop where Naruto grinned excitedly in his seat.

"So this is where you've been this whole time? I like it. It's not Konoha, but it's still really nice."

A waitress came and set a pair of sake bottles and cups on the table before taking their orders, giving a short polite bow, then leaving. Sakura poured herself a drink.

"Oto's wonderful. I wouldn't trade it for the world."

There was a twinge in his eyes for a moment before they were shadowed over in warmth.

"As long as you're happy, Sakura-chan."

When their ramen came, Naruto's eyes lit up like lanterns as he broke his chopsticks apart and wolfed his food down, not before yelling a cheery 'itadakimasu'. Sakura went at a far more leisurely pace while listening to what her old friend had to say.

"I'm gonna try to be Hokage soon." he said with a mouth stuffed with pork, "That's why I'm out here with ero-sennin. He said somethin' about about a waterfall near here that'll help with training. But it'll be frozen, huh? I wonder if that's fine. And 'course that means I get to stay here a while."

"Stay here as long as you like, I don't mind."

She gave him a hard look.

"Just don't do anything stupid."

Naruto made a face at the accusation, noodles hanging from his mouth. He quickly slurped them up and took a sip of his sake. His nose scrunched up at the taste.

"Whoa! Crap, this is, like, really strong stuff, 'ttebayo! Sakura-chan, when did you turn into Tsunade-baa-chan?" he whined. She childishly stuck her tongue out at him, happy when she incited a small laugh. Outside, a thin layer of snow covered rooftops and streets, contrasting prettily from the backdrop of buildings and lulled city dwellers. She was brought back into the conversation when she was asked a question.

"Hey, Sakura-chan?"

"Hm?"

"This whole Kage business... you, Gaara, and Kakashi-sensei are the only ones I know. I've asked them a million times but they only give me these answers I don't really get. Do you have any advice on being a Kage?"

Sakura placed her sake cup down. Advice? None had been given to her when she first took up the position and she could only rely on Bunko and her advisors on things like this. But for a while, she had been acting like her mentor until she found the insight to do things her own way. Thought if there was one thing she had to offer him...

"The world isn't black and white." Sakura said with downcast eyes, "There are an infinity of shades in between."

She remembered what Kakashi had talked to her about after the council members had their fill of information. He brought her down to the deepest room in the restricted section of the archives.

_Kakashi skimmed the shelves as Sakura glanced at her surroundings. She had never been in the places before or had ever thought that this place existed this far into the restricted section. She thought it was a stupid idea to bring the Kage of a village he wasn't even in an alliance with to one of the most classified information hubs in Konoha, if not the most classified area. She sighed inwardly. Perhaps it was the fact he thought she was the same as she was back then?_

_"Here."_

_He set an abnormally thick folder in her hands, bound by numerous strips of tape and staples._

_"If you're going to have the majority of the Uchiha under your order, then this is something that you should know."_

_On the tab were thick black letters._

_**STATUS: COMPLETE** _

_**HIGHLY CLASSIFIED** _

_**RANK: S** _

_**KAGE ACCESS ONLY** _

_"Read it when you're back in your village. After you do, burn it or put it some place no one else can find it."_

_She nodded while placing the folder in a small storage scroll and tucked it in a pocket hidden inside her belt. He led her back out into the main hallway of the tower._

_"Don't worry about seeing the inside of the archives." Kakashi said with a chipper smile, "The whole room changes every hour."_

_::_

_Upon her return to Otogakure late at night, she retired to her apartment for the day. She was ready to take a quiet nap in the comfort of her own home when her fingers brushed a cylindrical outline in the tough material of her belt. Sakura sat at her desk and summoned the folder, rubbing her eyes at the tons of papers crammed inside._

_She turned to the first page-- the list of mission details._

_**CONDITION: OFF THE RECORD** _

_Her eyebrows furrowed as she read the red of the page and turned to the next, the beginning of the mission log. It was in a far too familiar handwriting._

_My name is Uchiha Itachi, and I have accepted the mission to eradicate the Uchiha Clan._

Sakura unconsciously pressed the seal on her thigh through the fabric of her pants.

"Huh? Eh... that's kinda something like what Gaara said..." Naruto mumbled, "But what does that mean?!"

Sakura smiled and continued eating her ramen, her previous thinking masked for no one else to see.

"You'll learn, Naruto. One day."


	14. How Have You Been... Itachi?

Tomorrow. They'd have the drug information tomorrow and then they'd be able to return to Konoha.

Sasuke shifted in his bed, eyeing the white sheets and the deep green walls of the room What had the nurse said about the color? That it promoted psychological and emotional healing? Something along those lines, he was sure. He moved his gaze to the sunflowers on the table beside him. She also told him that they grew all sorts of flowers on the hospital roof, and that if he had a preference he only had to ask.

He leaned back against the wall and sighed. He lost the fight, but Sakura didn't rub it in his face. She took it as an easy acceptance, stuck her hand out, and brought him back onto his feet. She was different, certainly. Nothing like the genin he knew eleven years ago and had grown for more in those years then he probably would in a lifetime.

Alright. He admit it. He screwed up in demanding her to battle and came off more childish than he intended. Sakura was a Kage. He supposed she was just humoring him. Sasuke looked down at his bandaged arms, then reached up to feel the black seal on his shoulder.

If she was able to repress the curse mark, did that mean she could get rid of it as well?

Suddenly, there were two knocks on the door before it opened. Sasuke gripped his sheets and involuntarily made his sharingan twirl into existence. Itachi stepped into the room clad in his doctor's coat that hung loosely on his frame and a large journal in his hand. He pulled up a chair and sat next to the foot of the bed.

"What are _you_ doing here?"

"I came to see how you've been faring. Your ordeal with Sakura-sama was far from pleasant." 

Checking up on him? What a joke. Itachi wouldn't waste his time like that. Sasuke's eyes flickered down to the ID hanging from his older brother's breast pocket. COUNSELOR, it read. From the PEDIATRICS DEPARTMENT. Itachi crossed his legs and opened his journal. He took out a pen from his pocket to begin working on whatever the hell he did. Sasuke grit his teeth.

"You're just going to sit there?"

"I intend to." Itachi replied, looking up for a second, "At least until it's time to resume my duties."

Sasuke glanced at his sword across the room. It was tucked neatly in its scabbard, waiting to be used. If he was enough, he could get it, couldn't he? Or he could make up an excuse to use the bathroom and get him from behind. But maybe he'd be able to use the kunai stashed under his pillow, or did the nurses come and take it when he was knocked out from the morphine?

_Twelve years and I thought you'd learn forgiveness by now._

He twitched as Sakura's words rang through his head. That's right; she told him both that time and during the fight that he should forgive Itachi for what he did. Still, he thought that this man couldn't do anything to redeem himself for the crime he committed, but...

Sasuke raised his eyes to take in the full appearance of the person who took care of him the first eight years of his life. Who believed in him when his father didn't and when his mother just couldn't muster enough to do so. Who made him laugh and smile whenever he felt like he wasn't meeting up to the clan's standards.

_He moved on, Sasuke._

He forgot about all those happy memories, like his childhood and home life before the massacre. It wasn't perfect, of course, but nobody was. Not even Itachi. Thinking back to that night, he could remember the scent of blood thickening in the air. He was standing in the middle of the street, tears down his cheeks and Itachi's back facing him. Hate, strength, foolishness... Though in the middle of that speech he turned his head. Hallucination or not, Itachi's eyes had a particular wetness to them.

_Maybe it's about time you did the same._

Sasuke dropped his head in one hand and looked out the window. The skies were a bit cloudy and the village was painted a smooth white. He sighed harshly as he shut his eyes.

"You..."

Was it enough? Were those happy memories enough to outweigh all fourteen years he came to hate the man he had the misfortune of calling his brother? Sakura seemed to think so, or at least, she thought that hating someone for over a decade was enough.

The counselor looked up as Sasuke sighed again.

"How... How have you been... Itachi?"

Itachi's heart swelled.

::

Sakura mulled over the information Arata had given her as she spun back and forth in her office chair. No one in Otogakure was participating, thankfully, and it seemed that most of the ones involved were from Konoha. Extra surveillance from her owls pointed out that shinobi carrying the drugs just traveled aimlessly about the country, not making or selling them before returning to Konoha.

All she told Team Shikamaru earlier before their departure was that Oto had no part in it and that the drug ring operated completely out of her circle. Not completely true, but she'd be an idiot to go and accuse the village they were a part of. She was glad to leave that team on a much happier note than before, with both Ino and Sasuke.

_"Next chance I get, we're gonna have a real talk, forehead!"_

_"Hn. I still have questions about your sealing methods."_

All that aside, someone was indeed framing her to the distribution, though, and she wouldn't be able to deny it once it being the product of her citizens came to light. Her jaw locked as she thought of the man at the top of this operation.

How _dare_ he put this on her head. If only she weren't a Kage, she would've--!

Stop. Calm down. Breathe.

Don't get infuriated. Don't get depressed. Don't delve into hatred.

_**y o u  k n o w  w h a t  h a p p e n s  i f  y o u  d o** _

Sakura exhaled and sunk into her seat. It seemed that she had aged a significant amount with the bags under her eyes and the heavy droop of her shoulders. She let Kabuto off early today, so here she was. Alone at then in the evening. The lights were off save for the small lamp on her desk and the one hanging in the corner of the room.

_Tap. Tap._

Her eyebrows shot up when she recognized the chakra signature. She turned her chair around and slid the window open, Itachi slipping into the room. He had a cloth-wrapped bento in one hand and a piece of yellow paper in the other.

"Sakura-sama." he greeted, "Kabuto-san informed me that you hadn't eaten dinner today."

Sakura's eyes lit up immediately as he placed the box on her desk.

"I didn't know you'd be such an esteemed delivery man!" she exclaimed. She untied the cloth and opened the box, seeing salted salmon, sliced cucumber, and tamagoyaki along with a serving of rice, "It looks great! Where did you get this from? I don't recognize the bento."

When she took her first bite, the corner of her lips pulled up in pleasure. It tasted wonderful! Itachi flexed his fingers behind his back.

"I made it myself." he informed. Sakura covered her mouth as she chewed her food in delighted surprise.

"You?" she mused, "I didn't know you were such a great cook! This is amazing, thank you so much for taking the time to bring this to me!"

Well, it did take many days awful days in Tobi's kitchen with Sasori's far less than helpful comments every time he made a mistake. But he believed it all paid off in the long run. He could make simple dishes, at least, and maybe she'd like his cooking even more in the future. His thumb ran over the paper in his hand before he unfolded it and placed it on her desk.

"If I may..."

Sakura peered at the sheet as she took another bite of her food. There were a collection of lines and symbols that stared right at her.

"The intelligence sector has been working on new codes to be implemented in the system. Could you take a look at the key and decipher this problem?" he questioned. She happily agreed and set to it immediately. Decoding it for the first time took a series of mathematical algorithms, something Sakura breeze through without hassle. And before he knew it, the first letter was found.

_I_

A minute passed, and the next four letters were taken care of.

_L_

_O_

_V_

_E_

Itachi's heartbeat quickened in anticipation.

_Y_

_O_

The last letter took a little longer than the rest. Sakura's pen touched the yellow sheet after scratching away on her scrap page and she drew in the very last one, completing the message in record time.

_N_

"I love yon." Sakura read. She glanced up at him, "Do you, Itachi-san?"

He blinked. He read over her work, the key, and finally the words 'I love yon'. Yon. A pronoun. Those who yonder. How the hell had me managed to mix the 'u' and 'n' codes together like that?! He sat in the chair facing the desk, eye twitching at he inwardly berated himself.

"Yes. I love yon."

  
  
  
  



	15. Now Shut Up and Stir Your Chocolate.

"Hidan." Marisu called softly, tapping the lump beside her. There was a muffled groan from beneath the sheets as it shifted. She smiled and ran a hand through the silver tuft of hair that poked out onto the pillow.

"It's our off day." he whined, "Can't we just stay in bed? It's like, six in the morning and it's cold outside. Plus these pillows are fluffy and shit... Fucking amazing..."

Marisu glanced at the clock at the bedside and at the glowing blue numbers on the alarm clock. 10:38, it showed. Hidan had fallen soundly back to sleep as she slipped out of the sheets and walked to the bathroom. When the shower started running, he pulled the blanket off his head and looked out the window.

It didn't snow in February, but it was still cold enough to want to bundle up in a million layers and sit next to the heater all day. His wife wasn't particularly bothered with the weather, saying that she was used to it. It was the same type of climate of the other village she once lived in. Hidan pressed his lips together at the thought of her past.

She was four years older than him and had already had the experience of a family. She had a husband and a son back then. He'd seen pictures of the two and the way her eyes would light up when she talked about them... Though they had met an unfortunate end a little bit before Sakura asked her to join the village.

It wasn't that he was upset that she still mentioned them from time to time. In fact, he loved it when she brought them up. All he wanted was her to be happy-- with herself, with him, and the life they were living now. Hidan sat up with a wide yawn and leaned back against the headrest.

He hadn't had someone precious to him in a while. Six years, it probably was since the last time he felt the need to keep something (or someone) safe. His faith was what he kept close to heart when he accepted it as a naive teenager. 

But... when he became a surgeon and felt that thrill of _saving_ lives instead of _taking_ them...

Hidan sighed, thinking to the pendant that he kept stashed away in one of the drawers. It wasn't a life he wanted to go back to. Everything he had now and the opportunities he was given? He wouldn't trade it for the whole goddamn world.

Marisu stepped out of the bathroom clothed in civilian wear with her hair braided to the side. Her bangs still covered the scarred half of her face. Hidan stretched his arms out towards her and enveloped his wife in a hug.

"I love you, you know that?"

She bent down and pecked the top of his head.

"I love you too."

::

"I've had enough of wearing aprons, Kisame."

"Suck it up. You're Uchiha Itachi-- I'm pretty damn sure you can handle some frill."

In Kisame's apartment, the ingredients to make chocolate were laid out on the counter. Valentine's Day was coming up in a week, and Kisame mentioned that making something for Sakura could boost him along after that horrid coding mistake (Deidara laughed so hard that he nearly fainted from lack of oxygen). So here they were, standing in oddly domestic-looking kitchen in their respective brightly colored aprons.

"These aprons are hardly pleasing to look at." Itachi deadpanned. Kisame pointed a wooden spoon at him.

"I'm an S-Rank feared throughout the Shinobi Nations that happens to be responsible adult who knows how to manage his finances. If I see aprons on sale for 50% off on a Saturday morning, I am going to get those aprons _even though_ they look like the devil's grandma made them. Now shut up and stir your chocolate, we don't got all day."

The younger man refused to roll his eyes and did as he was told. It was odd that this is was where all the faults in his life had led him too: making Valentine's Day chocolates like a genin. He expected to have already been killed by his brother years and years ago whilst freeing him of the curse mark. He'd done at least one good thing if that happened.

Itachi looked down at his bowl. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that his life had done a 180 degree turn, the more it made him think. If he rejected the opportunity to join Otogakure, would he have been happier dying at Sasuke's hands or now?

"I've been wondering 'bout something, Itachi-san."

Kisame pulled out a couple square mold trays from one of his cabinets.

"I thought it was kinda weird when you confessed. How long have you liked Sakura-sama anyways?" he asked. Itachi let go of the silicone spatula and wiped his hands on a damp rag on the table. He unconsciously tilted his head a bit as he thought back to it. When exactly... Ah. It had been _that_ day.

"When she decided to continue her duties despite her handicap of a broken arm and a crutch." he answered simply. 

He would never forget the day he spoke to her when she was in that condition.

_It was like the entire village shared a sigh of relief when Sakura and Kabuto returned to the village fatally wounded, but alive. They were taking a quick three day visit to the Daimyou and were due back by the end of the week. But when they were absent thirty-six hours from the time they were supposed to arrive, half the ANBU were dispatched to scout the country or find some trail to where they could be._

_Unexpectedly, the two arrived at the gates two whole weeks later chakra low, caked in dried blood, and wounds open for the world to see. Sakura was barely able to keep her eyes open, and Kabuto would've collapsed to the ground if it weren't for her hoisting him up on her shoulders._

_They were captured by missing nin that excelled in torture and held an enormous grudge over the ordeal with the Jomae._

_At the hospital, Sakura's advisors were informed of the extent of the torture. Kakuzu told the rest of the shinobi force the gist of their injuries, no doubt leaving the details out of it. In short, it was that Sakura would be incapacitated for an undetermined amount of time but not longer than half the year, and Kabuto would be in physical therapy for the following three months._

_Kisame, being Sakura's bodyguard a majority of the time, stood guard of her's and her assistant's room until they were released from the hospital. It was far from a pretty sight. So much so that he didn't divulge too much information when the others inquired about it._

_A week from that, Sakura was up and about like nothing happened. She was swathed in bandages, had her left arm in a sling and the other grasping the hand-grip of a crutch. She waved off everyone's concern with a bright smile._

_"I might be handicapped, but that doesn't make me an invalid!" she said to them, "I could still punch you guys through a wall if I really wanted too, you know."_

_They took her word for it._

_Itachi had to give an oral intelligence report to her during her time of healing. He found her not in the office, but instructing some doctors down in the Medical District. He waited patiently until she was done and walked her back to the tower as they conversed. But eventually, he grew distracted from the grand extent of her wounds that he wondered how she was even let out of the hospital._

_"You should be resting." he found himself telling her. Sakura looked up at him, eyes twinkling and a brilliant grin spreading across her lips._

_"What kind of leader would I be if I did that?" she said, nudging him with her elbow, "I've already been gone for three weeks, I can't just let everyone else down even more! They look up to me."_

_Her grin softened into something he didn't know how to describe._

_"The very least I can do is be there for them. But you know me, I don't settle for the very least. It's all or nothing-- and these people deserve everything I have to give."_

_It was then he found the word to express her as she was._

_Enchanting._

Kisame furrowed his eyebrows as he raked through his memory for that specific time. Sakura had only used a crutch once, and that was--

"Dude... That was three years ago." he murmured, aghast.

Itachi inclined his head and took the spatula again.

"Hm. It seems so." he hummed. He took the tray Kisame held out to him and began the task of pouring the chocolate in the molds, "Though it's not as long as your affections, is it?"

There was something funny about seeing someone taller and older than you stumble head first into a doorway. Nervous chuckles trickled from his mouth as he turned around, messing with the top of his navy hair.

"Eheh... it's that obvious?"

"Slightly."

Kisame grin strained for a few seconds before he abruptly spun around again and switched the subject back to the chocolates.

"After we put these in the molds, we'll just stick 'em in the fridge overnight and we can see how they are tomorrow morning. And you can just leave everything in the sink, I can take care of 'em myself. That cool?"

Itachi surveyed him for a few moments, untying the knot of his apron.

"Hm."

::The Next Day::

"I just..."

"Kisame." Itachi said. Kisame pointed incredulously at the chocolates in front of them. Or, what were supposed to be chocolates. They more resembled lumps of dirt.

"How do you fuck up that badly?!"

"Kisame."

"We just mixed ingredients-- are you cooking impaired? Holy shit, you're fucking terrible!"

" _Kisame._ "

He turned his head to his long time friend and saw the accepting face he had on. Actually, he had done much better than he thought he would.

"What?!"

"Shut up."

 


	16. This Is Yours.

The sky was rather blue today, Sasori noted with a dulled interest. He was sprawled back on a leafless tree branch at his team's training grounds, waiting for his three genin to arrive. The cold air nipped at his pale real skin as red curls bounced in and out of his vision. He raised his hand to the sun, twisting it this way and that while flexing his fingers.

Still, he wasn't used to being human.

Feeling. Breathing. Experiencing. It had been years ever since he was "resurrected" in a flesh and blood body and he still didn't know how to feel about it. Of course it was a nuisance now to be conscious of his personal well-being and it was far more inefficient as a biological organism, but it was something comfortable.

Sasori rubbed his eyes. He couldn't find himself to be too annoyed by it. He was part of a village again and given the privilege of a genin sensei. He single-handedly had the opportunity to help shape the future shinobi of Otogakure with every legal right to do so. All it took was a one month period that changed him from S-Rank rogue to loyal shinobi, and it happened because his killer was able to change his mind.

_'Sakura, hm?'_

A brat turned formidable Kage. She had the whole village's trust and faith in her hands, including those others might regard as gang members or criminals. He saw some of her training sessions and witnessed the decisions she made to shape the village into something renowned. Sakura was a pretty damn great leader, honestly. Eccentric and devoted, yes, but she was someone many would be more than willing to follow.

Especially after kicking that Uchiha's ass to the ground that day.

He smirked, remembering just how badly Sasuke got beat. The kid was an dimwit for even opening his mouth and challenging her like that.

But that made him a hypocrite for thinking something like that, didn't it?

"Sasori-sensei!!"

"Eh?! What are you doing all the way up there?!"

"Sensei, get your old butt down here!"

Sasori's lips tilted upwards as he rolled over and dropped down in front of the group of twelve-year olds. He looked at them with his usual half-lidded eyes.

"Izumi. Miwa." he acknowledged, nodding at the brunette and pixie-cut blonde. He then glanced at the cheeky little black-haired ball of anger that never failed to insult him and flicked her forehead.

"Shigeko. Rude as always, I see. So," he sighed, "What excuse do you all have now for being late? You know very well that I hate to be kept waiting."

The three exchanged glances before they each slid off their packs off and produced small boxes. They held it out to him with matching smiles and voices that chorused.

"Happy Valentine's Day, sensei!"

Sasori blinked. The boxes, each tied with a colored ribbon, were forced into his hands before he could reply. Each had a clear film top so that he could see the chocolates inside. _Homemade_ chocolates. He stared down at the packages like they were foreign objects and tried to reason just why they were in his hands.

"Do you... want me to give these to someone?" he questioned. Izumi's face scrunched up as she flipped her brown hair over her shoulder.

"What are you talking about? We made those for you!" she exclaimed.

"For _me_?"

His eyes were blank and glued to the boxes. Another thing he couldn't get used to was how kind his genin now and his past genin had been to him. Them, along with other shinobi he would encounter in his day to day life. They knew who he was, didn't they? How many people had perished at his hands. His previous unethical practices with human puppets.

Sasori looked up at his team and saw their bright faces, hands tightening ever so slightly around the chocolates.

"... Thank you."

Their smiles widened.

"And as thanks, you only have to run fifteen laps around the village." he said. He smirked when their faces dropped and Shigeko puffed out her cheeks in annoyance.

"Sensei!"

::

Sakura was never really treated like this back in Konoha. On Valentine's Day, she'd get a few chocolates from Lee, Naruto, and some of the interns. That was it. It wasn't until a few years into her leadership of Otogakure that she started to get so much sweets that she couldn't finish them.

There were a few stacks of packages on her desk where they led to six other piles beside her. Bouquets were in front of her, blocking her vision of the door. She heard a sigh from her right and saw a dismayed Kabuto jotting some things down on a clipboard.

"Why do you have to send a 'Thank You' note to everyone who sent you something?" he grumbled, "And why do you insist on eating all of them? You're going to get sick."

She picked up a box and read another name out for him to write down.

"Because whoever sent these obviously took time out of their day so I could get them, so I should at least say thanks in return! Geez Kabuto, it's called being _appreciative_." she grinned, laughing when he pushed up his glasses in irritation, "Besides, I'm not going to eat all of these by myself. The help's here, if you haven't noticed."

Oh. He'd forgotten about them. Kabuto peered across the room at the four-- Kakuzu, Kotohime, Sasame, and Tobi-- who were scattered on the floor and chairs, each taking their time in devouring the chocolate. Kotohime and Sasame volunteered to help because they loved sweets and spent most of the time in the Kage building anyway, so why not? Kakuzu honestly had nothing better to do and Tobi was bored on his off day, so free food it was.

"This one's is ramen flavored. The fuck?"

"Koto-chan, try this one! There's blueberries inside!"

"In all my years of living, I don't think I've ever encountered fried eggplant covered in chocolate."

"Ghck! W-Wa-Water! Ka... Kazu... sen-senpai, wa-water! Why... Why hot s-sauce?! WHY?!"

Sakura picked up another set of chocolates. It was the odd one in the pile with it's gleaming silver wrapping and purple ribbon tied in a neat bow. She hid her smile, knowing exactly who it was from and who it was for. She held it up.

"Kabuto, this is yours."

"What?"

He took the box from her and looked at the tag. His name was printed on it, most likely to not reveal the sender, and nothing else was there. Tobi perked up from his spot with tears still running down his cheeks and tongue swollen.

"Babudo-dan'h been bweally bopuwa doday."

"You sound terrible."

"Idh da hod dauce!"

Kabuto placed it on the window sill with the seven others he'd gotten, his eyes lingering on it for a little longer before sliding back to the clipboard. He didn't know why, but it felt like those specific chocolates were different than the others.

"Oh!" Sakura exclaimed, "Juugo-san sent strawberries!"

This was how most of the day went. When she had the list of names, she made a 'Thank You' card for each of them and set them aside to be delivered tomorrow. Afterwards, she completed the paperwork she had for the day while listening to the lull of conversation the others had as they went on eating. 

It was at about five o'clock when the door creaked open and someone stepped inside.

"Sasuke?"

Sasuke glanced at the five other shinobi in the office who silenced immediately, but continued eating their chocolate. The Otokage smiled up at him.

"What can I help you with?"

"I recall you being able to subdue my cursed seal during our fight, and it made me wonder if you'd be able to rid of it completely." he said, "Before coming here, I ran into Juugo... He told me about his treatment. And how it was working."

Nervousness was not a familiar color on his face, though Sakura found it more than entertaining to see it. She felt some pity for him as he was being burned through with five other pairs of scorching eyes and stood up.

"I'll be back no later than half an hour. Come with me, Sasuke."

::

He couldn't remember a time Orochimaru expressed a desire to rebuild this village. He'd been through here a number of times, yes, but he never had an expectation for it to grow from the run-down criminal hideaway it used to be. 

"I thought you'd come back sooner to look for your cure." Sakura hummed from his left, "You just missed Naruto. But he'll come back in a few weeks, I think."

"Hn."

"Reverting back to your angsty self? I liked you better before when you suddenly gained that will to talk. Or was it just your anger?"

Sasuke couldn't help but send a sidelong glare her way, making her laugh and punch him in the shoulder.

"Right on the mark! Learn to smile and maybe I'll stop teasing you." she grinned. He rubbed the spot where she hit him and bitterly noted that he was probably going to get a bruise there. He then peered around the Medical District they soon entered and at the proud banners that hung above it. It was quite quintessential of her as a Tsunade's student to put so much effort into this part of the village, also adding to Otogakure's list of specialties.

Sakura led him to the front of a clinic. She presented it with a grand wave of her arm and an even wider grin.

"Your future awaits."

"I can't believe you said that to me."

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Like I said, smile. Ah, you've gotten so boring." she sighed. Sasuke refused to roll his eyes and made to push the door open.

"Oh, and one more thing."

He looked at her.

"On Mondays and Fridays, Itachi-san works at the Intelligence building. The large gray one close to my office. From Tuesday to Thursday, he's on the pediatric floor of the hospital, which is down this street. It's in a different building from the one you stayed in which is the one on the north side of where you were? I'm sure it is." she informed as she tapped her chin. Sasuke's jaw locked involuntarily and he averted his gaze.

"... Alright."

Her grin softened into a reassuring smile before she turned to leave.

"Take it easy, Sasuke."

::

When Sakura returned to her office, the four on her ground had just about gone into a chocolate coma and were withering away beneath empty boxes and wrappings. Kabuto was nowhere to be found, but the stack of 'Thank You' cards has disappeared from their place. She plopped into her seat with a light exhale and picked up her pen.

That was a good development, at least. All in all, it was a good day for her. Sasuke was getting better about things, the chocolate was delicious, and intel on the drug issue she received that morning had given her more proof than ever before.

She reached down to take some post-it notes from her top drawer, but noticed that it wasn't quite closed like she had left it. Curious, she pulled it open and saw a cup of anmitsu, her favorite dessert, with a perfect scoop of green tea ice cream on the top. The fruits and jelly pieces were carved into little heart shapes that she found just _adorable_.

But... who was it from?

Tobi and Kakuzu, who were half lidded and on the verge of fainting from sugar overdose, saw the treat in her hands and had the same thought run through their heads.

_'You're supposed to put your name, idiot.'_


	17. Overruled!

Ah, March.

It was a beautiful month. Spring was just settling in, kicking out the biting winter air and gracing the lands with a higher temperature and a smiling sun. Hidden villages worldwide, were preparing for the Hanami Festival: a Grand Flower Viewing Spectacle! Otogakure especially was bustling to get all preparations in order for the 28th. There would be star magnolias, red maples, and the most breathtaking of all--

The cherry blossoms.

It was wonderfully ironic that this festival took place on their beloved Otokage's birthday and the villagers set to hard work to make it as joyous and beautiful as possible. During this time of the year, people tended to be in their highest, carefree spirits.

...

Well.

Almost everyone.

"I fucking swear you better not fuck shit up this time. First you fucked up on the message because your just _had_ to spell a three letter word wrong--"

Tobi pressed his lips together to keep from giggling and Deidara started grinning.

"--like, who the hell does that? It doesn't happen! But your prodigious ass can make anything happen, eh? Second, you don't put your name on her Valentine's Day gift. I'm tempted to leave it alone because you actually came up with the idea of getting her one of her favorite desserts, but goddamn you didn't put your name on it! How was she supposed to know who it was from you _fucking idiot_?!"

Sasori casually sipped his tea.

"That was two mistakes in a row. Two! If it happens one more time my faith in you will completely fucking disintegrate and next thing you know, you're gonna be looking for a fucking anacampserote* to clean up after your anencephalic** ass!"

Kisame winced.

"Dude, he just smacked you with two words I've never heard before. That's when you know you really fucked up." he whistled. Itachi twitched and silently bit into his barbecue. Yes, he admit that he messed up royally those past two times and yes, he knew he had to get his act together for her birthday, but all he wanted was a quiet lunch. Was that so much to ask? And he was granted with the five others he definitely didn't ask for.

Hidan tore into his own food and jabbed a chopstick in Itachi's direction.

"Get your shit together."

Itachi hated his friends sometimes. Really. He expected that scolding to be the last of this day's headaches until two people entered the restaurant and took the table beside their's. He pinched the bridge of his nose when everyone at the table turned their heads curiously.

Kami, he could already hear the gears spinning in their heads.

"Ugh, you're so boring, teme. I just got back a week ago and you don't want to do anything fun."

A sigh.

"I'm busy, usuratonkachi."

Naruto whined at Sasuke in their booth. It took them a few seconds before they stopped conversing and slowly looked to the right at the five pairs of eyes staring right at them. Naruto awkwardly raised a hand, pushing down the instinctual reaction to lash out or distance himself from the former criminals.

"Hi?"

Deidara gestured towards them while giving a pointed look at Itachi.

"Say hello to your saving grace, un." he deadpanned.

"No."

"Five to one, senpai!" Tobi quipped, turning excitedly to the two confused Konoha shinobi, "Sasuke-kun, Naruto-kun, you know that Sakura-sama's birthday's coming up, right? What are you planning to do for her?"

The blonde cocked his head.

"Whatever she wants. Sakura-chan's never been picky about that stuff. Last time we threw her a surprise birthday party. Teme?"

Sasuke shrugged.

"She's always liked flowers." he said, flipping open the menu. Kisame considered their words and rubbed at his chin. True, Sakura had never been picky about her birthday. The past six years, she never even took the day off in favor of going around the Medical District to pay the patients a visit. As for the flowers... she was the one to suggest growing the rooftop gardens for everyone at the hospital to enjoy, staff and patients alike. But those were things they already knew that wouldn't help them with their situation.

Sasori set his tea cup down.

"Season three."

Tobi lit up.

"Senpai, you're a genius!" he exclaimed. Sasuke and Naruto watched in bewilderment as Itachi's features darkened.

" _I refuse._ "

"Overruled, bitch!" Hidan crowed, "Say goodbye to another weekend!"

The Konoha shinobi couldn't believe what happened next. They left money on the table and practically dragged Itachi out, shouting things about the 'Kunoichi Diaries'-- whatever that was. After their leaving, Naruto looked at his friend.

" _That's_ the Akatsuki?"

::

"An assassination?"

"Of Danzo, yes." Sakura said, toying with the purple pills on her desk, "He's proving to be more and more of an annoyance as time passes. There's already suspicion placed on Otogakure's head and I can't send my best shinobi without them being somehow recognized. I would go myself, but me being spotted outside the village would only cause more trouble."

Nagato crossed his legs, relaxing into the plush material of his seat. He looked far healthier than from their first meeting with his form filled out much better and some color returning to his skin. Still he was pale and wiry, but it was an enormous improvement.

It was just the two of them in the office. The room was lit with the mass of sunlight that poured in that warmed them from the only minutely chilled outside. He ran a hand through the red hair and propped his chin up on the arm rest.

"I understand. Did the drugs originate here?"

"Yes. But it's supposed to be exclusively in Otogakure and nowhere else. I've already spoken with the founder and he's not pleased with the development. Have anyone in mind for the job?"

He thought about it.

"Zetsu will be your best bet. There may be others, but I'll have to look into it upon my return to Amegakure."

She opened her mouth to comment, but he beat her to it.

"And whoever I choose will run backgrounds on everyone involved, determining who and who not to kill. Don't worry."

Sakura sighed, a lazy smile crossing her face.

"Ah, you know me so well, Nagato-san."

Glancing at the clock, she saw that it was nearly two. She stood and walked around the desk to stand beside the other leader's seat.

"Lunch?" she questioned. His ringed eyes looked into her sparkling green ones. They were just as bright and full of fire like the time she convinced him to deviate from the path he believed himself to be stuck on for the rest of his life. Yes easily, _so easily_ , she stood up to him and smacked him with the contradictory logic he breathed by.

"If it's the stew place by the mochi shop." he said. He pushed himself up and followed her out the office, "Their sukiyaki is quite superb."

_He thought he was the one to bring peace to this world._

"You've always liked that restaurant, though I really like their motsunabe. And it'll warm us up, ne?" she grinned. Nagato trailed behind her, staring at the back of her head.

_But he was wrong._

"Hm."

The two of them stepped out of the tower and into the fresh spring air. Sakura stretched her arms over her head, embracing the new season. As they walked, he kept himself just a few centimeters behind her out of respect within her own village.

_Though maybe, just maybe..._

"Tell me, have you done anything about those advances? Or are you still feigning ignorance?" he asked. She smiled.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Nagato-san."

Nagato smirked softly and looked back ahead of him. He saw Jiraiya's newest student and the youngest Uchiha down the road, the former waving animatedly in their direction. He saw that Sakura's smile stretched into a grin as she waved back to them.

_... those who'd bring peace were closer than he expected._

::

*Anacampserote: something that can bring back a lost love

**Anencephalic: lacking a brain (actual medical condition)


	18. No Buts.

At this rate, he really was going to die before being able to confess himself to her. 

Itachi sat in a comfortable thrum of quiet with a cup of tea in his hands. Kabuto was sat in seat beside him and Kakuzu, the owner of such a pristine apartment took up the love seat. It was the first time in a long while where he had such companionable silence with other people. The past few weeks were filled with nothing but boisterous blather and traumatizing episodes of Kunoichi Diaries. Honestly, what did they see in that trash?

Not to mention the horrible attempts he made at trying to express feelings he was far from used to.

"Why is it that you haven't tried talking to her?"

Itachi glanced at Kabuto.

"Pardon?" he questioned. The man pushed up his glasses, light glinting off them the tiniest bit.

"Talking. What normal people do," he said. "It's one of the simplest means of communication and honestly, you can't mess up _speaking_ if you truly want to get your point across to her. Sakura-sama isn't a person entranced by extravagant displays. Women have the stigma of wanting to be swept off their feet or being materialistic. You know that's not the truth, don't you?"

Kakuzu flipped a page of his accounting book as he added his two cents.

"Half the world's problems could be solved if people just talked to each other. Besides, Sakura-sama is a Kage. She built this village with her own sweat and blood-- I doubt she'd care for clever messages hidden in coding or chocolates on Valentine's Day. If she knows you love her, that's bound to be enough."

The Uchiha was rooted to his seat.

It was _literally_ that simple.

He pinched the bridge of his nose and allowed himself a sigh. Becoming an Otogakure shinobi must have tampered with his logical thinking if he chose to listen to his dumbass friends over reason. Well, friends was stretching it.

"And you didn't think to remind me of this because...?"

Kabuto gave him a blank stare.

"I need to entertain myself somehow, don't I? Not all my pleasure in life derives from giving Sakura-sama paperwork," he said. His lips quirked up at Itachi's wholly unamused demeanor, "But even I think this has gotten sad enough. Take a look at this."

He held out a mission scroll to the prodigy who took it with a raised brow.

"Sakura-sama is going to Nadeshiko Village for diplomatic reasons in a few days. Kisame-san's not able to take it up like he normally is, and Kakuzu-san and I have to stay here and maintain office. I was generous enough to slate you for the duty of being her escort on a mission that will, in fact, be finished well after her birthday. She'll have no one to celebrate the day with but yourself," Kabuto explained. Itachi didn't have to strain his ears to hear the underlying message of _'don't screw this up'_ in his instruction.

He stood and pocketed the scroll.

"I will prepare for the assignment. I appreciate the help, Kabuto-san. Kakuzu-san."

Before he could make a move out of the apartment, Kabuto set his pen on his clipboard as he placed it on the low table.

"Itachi-san," he called. The man turned. "If you truly love her, I hope you love her scars as well."

His brow furrowed. Scars? He was sure Sakura had plenty of them. She was an able-bodied shinobi who had rigorous training sessions with Kisame and Kakuzu every other weekend and had scared the village when she and her right-hand were abducted to be tortured in the name of revenge. He'd be surprised if she had none whatsoever even if she was a talented medic.

But, to him, she was the epitome of beauty. He'd never see her as any less no matter what she looked like.

"Her physical appearance is of very little importance," Itachi replied. And it was the truth. Kabuto shook his head, his eyes losing their teasing gleam and falling into a shallow melancholy.

"Not _those_ scars."

Kakuzu's gaze flickered up. He too had no idea what his associate was speaking of-- perhaps a traumatic experience or the emotional turmoil she suffered months ago. That was wholly justifiable considering what she had to do to cement her position the time before she officially became a Kage. Restoring Oto, gathering allies, faking her death for six or seven years...

"It will not matter," he said. "My feelings will never change."

::

"You're going on a mission?! So close to your birthday?! But we have to celebrate it, Sakura-chan! Take me and bastard with you!" Naruto exploded. He planted his hands onto the desk and leaned forward, sending some of her papers fluttering to the ground. Sakura breathed out a sigh and lightly slapped at his face to push him back.

"These are official Otogakure matters, Naruto. I don't know if you've forgotten, but you're a Konoha shinobi and can't come with me."

"But-"

"No buts."

He pouted and sunk into the seat beside her. With Sasuke at the clinic and Jiraiya messing around at the red light district, he bounded through his best friend's office window despite the protests of the guards down below. He was about to go on and on about her turning twenty-five until she hit him square in the stomach with her Kage business: "the people before me" she'd said.

"Well, who're you going with? You're the Otokage and all and you need someone to go with you."

She smiled.

"Of course. Normally, I'd take Kisame--"

He paled.

"--but he's out assessing new ANBU recruits with Suzume-san. I'm leaving Kakuzu and Kabuto in charge, so... I think I'm bringing Itachi-san."

Naruto paled further. Kami, that was even worse! The Akatsuki might have sworn their allegiance to her a long time ago (he still was a bit iffy on that), but why didn't she just take the blonde one? Or-Or the doctor! The one with the silver hair!

" _Him_? But Sakura-chan!"

"What did I say about the buts?" she questioned, "I'll be gone three weeks tops. When we get back, we can do all those things you talked about, okay?"

Naruto grumbled. 

"Okay. But when you get back, you're gonna have the best birthday, dattebayo!"

::

Itachi enjoyed Nadeshiko just as much as Kisame did. The kunoichi who saw him recognized him instantly, and, calculating how powerful he was, hounded him like no tomorrow. He heard some things about their culture and matriarchy, but never fathomed the extent of it. Amongst the swarm of women demanding a battle, he spotted Sakura just outside the ring.

She took one look at him and burst into laughter before making her way to meet with Shizuka with the wave of her hand, leaving him to fend off the kunoichi himself. That left him hours of time to meditate in the shadows-- and no, he was definitely not hiding-- and think about how to bring the conversation to light.

He couldn't just jump the gun... could he? Sakura was always straightforward like that and she wouldn't mind talking when they made their way back to the village. It was a two day journey by foot then a five day journey by water, ample time to say what he needed to say. It should be simple enough for him.

Approach her, wish her Happy Birthday, gift her a flower or two, then say it? That's what Kakuzu and Kabuto meant, didn't it?

He was far into his musings that he didn't notice it was midday when Sakura came up to the tree he was taking refuge in and called him down.

"We're off, Itachi-san! You don't have to run away from those lovely ladies anymore!"

Itachi appeared in front of her, lips formed into a thin line.

"I was not running."

"Sure, and my hair isn't pink," she grinned, "Come on. We'll travel to Port City and stay the night before sailing back to the mainland."

She punched his shoulder as she started to walk towards the village exit. He opened his mouth to say something in return, maybe an assent or a retort to her poking fun at him, but he shut it. There was nothing more he wanted to say to her than how she shone as bright as sun overhead or how the way she smiled at him gave him hope for a better future.

So he merely followed after with a nod of his head. He could always tell her tomorrow on her birthday.

Port City lay a few hours ahead of them. Their journey was filled with the soothing songs of birds and a companionable silence. About a kilometer out from the bustling civilian city, Sakura turned her head with a sheepish smile.

"Just to let you know, Itachi-san, there's a place Kisame and I always go coming from Nadeshiko. It's, uh, I don't think you'll like it too much. We usually drink there and I know you don't really take to alcohol."

Itachi bobbed his head.

"I'll escort you there and find us a place to stay for the night," he informed. She was just like her master in that sense; drinking for peace and comfort between their political duties. It had never been a problem with her before and he wasn't about to stray her away from it. But he was curious to see the types of places she like to frequent.

"Is it a local bar?" he questioned. Her face pinkened.

"Uh, not exactly... it's kinda a club- but Kisame and I are friends with the workers and the owner, so..."

A club. A club where both Kisame and Sakura drank until the early morning with entertainment-- what kind of entertainment? And _workers_? Considering his long time friend's and his Kage's taste... Itachi straightened.

"I'm going with you."

"What? You don't have to if you don't want to. Besides, I think you'll need the break from what happened back at Nadeshiko with your new fan club."

"I'm positive I can handle my ground, Sakura-sama."

She shrugged as the two of them entered the city and made their way towards the club.

"Your choice. Don't say I didn't warn you, though," she said. She led the two of them down the side streets and alleyways until they were in front of a building with a glowing blue sign. A sign that, Itachi noted, didn't just say 'club' on it.

It said ' _Hostess Club_ '.

"So," Sakura started, facing him with both hands on her hips, "Still want to come with me?"

He squared his shoulders and narrowed his eyes in determination.

"Yes, ma'am."

He survived Nadeshiko. Round two wouldn't have shit on him.

::

But it did. It was about ten time worse than the kunoichi. Their job was to tend to their patrons in their more than revealing outfits, their attitudes more teasing and cozy that those women who were carved by weapons and chakra. There were just as many hostesses on him than there were on Sakura. He was surprised that she actually seemed to enjoy their company like old companions catching up.

"Arisu-chan loves new guests," Sakura laughed the morning after, "She'll take it easy on you next time, I promise."

He gave her a pointed look.

"Next time," he repeated. She laughed harder.

"Okay, so maybe not next time. But I told you wouldn't like it, but what did you go off to do? Exactly the opposite of what I said. I'm almost tempted to say you deserved it, but that's mean."

Itachi huffed silently and walked a step behind her as they walked towards the ports for their ship back. With her back facing him, he reached into his pack and pulled out a single pink and white amaryllis. He saw it growing alone on the edges of the city when he was taking a breath of air-- certainly not escaping-- from the clutches of the hostesses.

"Sakura-sama."

She turned.

"What is- oh!" she exclaimed, one of the prettiest flowers she'd ever seen being set into her hand, "What's this?"

He glanced up to the steadily rising sun.

"... It reminded me of you. You're both beautiful."

Sakura flushed and smiled to hide her embarrassment.

"First you can cook then you say one of the sweetest things I've ever heard? You're mushy on the inside, aren't you? But thank you."

Their boat's horn sounded in the distance, causing Sakura's head to jerk to the side. She was about to start off when Itachi took hold of her upper arm. It was a gentle touch with seemingly no amount of force behind it. She looked up.

"Our ship's going to set off soon. We might have to run to catch up with it."

"May I... say something first? I assure you it won't take long at all," he spoke. Itachi looked a little different today with his eyes black and softer than he'd ever had them-- hiding the culmination of words he wanted to say. She nodded slowly.

"What is it?"

The streets were quiet this early in the morning. People that could be seen were the fisherman loading up for the day's trip and the vendors setting up for when they opened in an hour or so. Itachi let his hand drop to his side.

"Six years ago, you gave me a second chance we both know I didn't deserve, especially after all I've done. I didn't know someone could be strong and have a heart as big as yours. I don't know how you could stand me knowing fully about what I did to become a missing-nin, but you stood up for me. You stood up for me in front of Sasuke."

She blinked. He was there?

"Three years after I met you I realized how selfless you were. You truly care for your people and your friends while being one of the bravest people I've seen. And for that, I..."

He searched her eyes for a moment and noted her unmasked surprise.

"...I wish I could tell you how much you mean to me, but there aren't enough words to express it. There are only three that are suitable for you. I love you, Sakura. I have for a long time."

The horn echoed once more, but Sakura didn't move. Not after being frozen to her spot. Of all the things he could've told her, she never thought it would be this.

"I'm not in the position for asking things of you, but I would like to show you just what that means to me. It's your birthday and I'd like so see you enjoy it, then we can take the first ship back to the mainland. If I may?"

Itachi extended his hand. She eyed with warily as she held the flower she was gifted close to her chest. She was still the same old Sakura with that same forehead and that same inability to tell close shades apart. She used her free hand to point to herself.

"M-Me?"

He let a tender smile take his lips.

"You."

Reluctantly, she grasped his hand and let herself be led down the street. She cursed the red that swirled on her cheeks. Nagato made jokes about this sort of thing before, and she went along with it for the sake of his unbelieving humor. She never imagined he was being _serious_ about it.

Then a thought crossed her mind.

"So does that mean you don't love yon?"


	19. An Idiot Who Finally Got It Right

Naruto thoroughly believed that he, in every single way possible, was being lenient by allowing Itachi to date Sakura after nearly fainting on the street when the latter told him about it years ago. He and Sasuke (and by extent, Ino) had already cycled through their warnings, threats, and promises of castration if he dared hurt her, but Naruto was confident that their relationship would die down sometime in the near future. Soon. 

Now, preferably. Because he still wasn't sure what was on that guy's agenda.

Until the damn bastard showed up out of the blue one day.

It was barely seven in the goddamn morning and Naruto was dreaming about a new flavor of ramen when there were a couple of soft knocks that roused him from his sleep. He would've stayed in bed and ignore the stranger if it hadn't persisted for a good five minutes straight. Now reluctantly awake and pissed at the interruption, he pulled himself out of bed, stomped to the front of his apartment, and threw open his door.

"WHAT?!"

"Naruto-kun."

The Uzumaki blinked a few times as his vision focused and landed on the particular form of a person he didn't _particularly_ like.

"Oh. You," Naruto grumbled. "Whattya' want? It's too early for you to come here and bother me. Unless Sakura-chan's here. Did she come for a visit or-"

"Nothing of the sort," Itachi interrupted smoothly. Naruto instantly deflated at the thought of not being able to see his friend for probably the course of the next several months, so with all hopes hopes draining and sleep calling his name, he proceeded to close his door. A hand stopped him. "I came here for a reason that I think you might be... inclined to listen to, Naruto-kun. So if I may speak?"

A groan. The the full swing of the door.

"Make it quick then, like, five minutes. I wanna go back to sleep, 'ttebayo."

"Of course," Itachi said, straightening and bracing himself for the explosion he was sure to come next. "As Sakura's teammates and loyal friend, I know telling you this might not be in your best interest."

Naruto narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"You didn't break her heart, did you?" he demanded. "Because if you did I swear I'm gonna-!"

"No."

"Oh, then-"

"I'm going to ask Sakura to marry me."

...

...

...

" _ **WHAT?!**_ "

::

Sasuke was having a nice morning.

But it always had to be a _was_ , didn't it? He woke up more refreshed than usual, made himself a nice breakfast with a healthy helping of cherry tomatoes, and took to meditating on a open field as he soothed his thoughts. It had been about a year now since Sakura's shinobi had been able to alleviate the effects of Orochimaru's experiments.

He felt... relieved. Like the weight of the world had been taken off his shoulders. And this was a feeling he could live with for the rest of the day.

"SASUKE!"

Sasuke sighed. _So close to peace_.

"IT'S ALL YOUR BROTHER'S FAULT!"

He sighed again. Standing and turning towards the edge of the training ground, he saw Naruto stalking over to him while stringing an apathetic looking Itachi along with him. Upon reaching Sasuke, Naruto gestured wildly to the older man at his side.

"Tell him I'm not just gonna let him do it!"

Itachi blinked at him.

"I didn't tell you to ask for your permission," he said. "I told you so you wouldn't get close to fainting when Sakura told you about us."

"... She told you about that?"

"She told everyone about that."

Naruto pouted. Sasuke looked back and forth between his friend and his sibling with a curious stare. If someone told his twelve year old self that there would come a time where the loudmouth of Konoha would be a normal fixture in his life and that he'd reconcile with his brother, he wouldn't believe a single word of it and would probably attack the person for even mentioning Uchiha Itachi.

"So what did he do this time?" Sasuke questioned, breaking out of his thoughts. Naruto looked like he was going to punch him.

"Did you hear me?! He said he was going to ask Sakura-chan to marry him!"

Oh.

"What's wrong with that?" he asked. Naruto looked absolutely insulted and a flicker of appreciation flashed across Itachi's eyes. "They've been serious for a long time and the last thing Itachi would want to do is piss off his Kage. Besides, we both know Sakura's happy with him and he wouldn't be with anyone else."

"But... But..."

At the blank stares the two Uchiha were giving him, the blonde could only flub over his words for so long before he let out an incomprehensible shout towards the sky and threw his hands up in defeat.

"Fine! FINE! If Sakura-chan didn't love you so much I'd beat your ass into the ground!"

Sasuke turned towards his brother, completely ignoring the tangent Naruto was starting to go off on.

"Did you come to Konoha to tell us you were going to propose or are you here on a mission? It seems kind of excessive that you'd come all this way just to tell us what your planning to do," he said. Itachi gave a small shrug.

"You two are important to Sakura. Letting you know my intentions firsthand would be better so nothing excessive happens," he explained, casting a quick glance at the man who was still going off on a tirade on the training field. "Or no one does anything excessive."

He moved his head to dodge the kunai thrown in his direction.

"I HEARD THAT!"

Sasuke shook his head.

"Do you have a ring yet?"

Itachi nodded and reached into his back pouch and pulled out a small black box. Inside was a simple silver band with a beautiful green gem residing at the top. Naruto trudged to them and looked over Sasuke's shoulder and frowned. Although the ring was simple, it was something Sakura would fawn over for days.

Naruto narrowed his eyes.

"Before you go, tell us- what are the two things you love most about her?"

"This ring... It's an emerald, a gemstone said to provide healing of all kinds," Itachi explained as he looked down at the box. "It inspires patience, unity, compassion, and unconditional love. It also embodies vision, intuition, and wisdom. It describes her to some extent, but one thing can't describe all of her. And although she's so much more it reminded me of her eyes, though it pales in comparison to how beautiful she really is."  

He closed the box with a small snap and closed his eyes.

"If I had to pick two things, it would be her scars and the callouses on her hands. Her scars because each tells a story of how much she had to sacrifice to get where she was now and how many times she risked her life to what she thought was right. And her callouses because it shows just how much it took her to raise a village with her and her determination to be better so that people could be given a second chance. She thinks of others before herself, and even if it puts her at risk sometimes, she does it because knows she can be someone great. And she is."

When he looked up, Sasuke's eyebrows had raised to his hairline and tears were streaming Naruto's cheeks, causing him to swipe at them furiously.

"Dammit!" he shouted. "ARGH! How can I kill you after saying all of that?! Goddammit! You're so good to Sakura-chan! FUCK!"

Sasuke placed a hand on his brother's shoulder and turned him towards the direction of Konoha's gates.

"Yeah... I think you have someone you need to propose to, Itachi."

::

"Itachi!" Sakura smiled. "You're here to join me on my rounds?"

"Mm."

Under the soft light of Otogakure's autumn sun, Itachi walked with his lover as she started her walk around the village to have small chats with business owners and to note the concerns the people had and what she could improve on, what she had to change, or what worked and needed to be backed up. 

At about noon, they stopped at a food stall for a quick snack. Itachi took a quick look around him and saw the rest of his so-called friends hiding and motioning for him to hurry up and get on with it. He turned back to the Otokage.

"Sakura."

She, happily waiting for their yakitori, spun to face him.

"Hm?"

Her eyes widened as pulled out that small black box.

"Sakura," he called out again, softer, as the world quieted around them and he got down on one knee. She covered her mouth with a hand. "I love you."

He opened the box for her to see a translucent gem on a ring of sparkling silver.  

"Do you want to spend the rest our lives together?"

She couldn't bring herself to form any words. Tears leaked from her eyes and she nodded fiercely, launching herself into his arms and the people around them starting whooping and cheering. When she pulled away, she heard the several pops and pieces of confetti fell into her hair as well as seeing everyone- Kabuto, Kisame, Sasori, Deidara, Tobi, Kakuzu, Hidan, Marisu- with champagne poppers in their hands.

"You know, these actually came into really good use, un," Deidara said. He took another one out and popped it right in Itachi's face. "Especially when they're used at someone else's expense. For, you know, an idiot who finally got it right."

Sakura laughed.


	20. He's Not Gonna Fall For That.

Deidara looked down at the three files in his hands, unable to stop the tremors echoing through his bones. He was in his early forties, damn it all, and he'd been in the shinobi business for at least _thirty_ of them. Why was this scaring him? Was it his age?

He looked up at his Kage- still bright and youthful and beautiful even at the cusp of turning thirty-eight herself- and scowled.

"I refuse to take this team, un."

Sakura raised a delicate pink eyebrow.

"What's wrong with it?"

"Absolutely _everything_ ," he said, and her eyebrow raised higher. "You're giving me a genin team of trolls, hm! One, they're going to be more hyper than any other time I've had the past practically two decades. Two, they have no concept of personal space-- did I tell you about the time they broke into my apartment just for shits and giggles? Because they did that, un! They did it because they're _evil_."

Kabuto snorted from his place to the Shodai's left. "I don't think you're in any position to put the word 'evil' against yourself."

"Besides, you're one of the few people they'll actually try and listen to at least half the time," Sakura grinned. "You could always use the _'I used to change your diapers when you were babies'_ threat."

Deidara groaned and looked back at the files. Like he needed to be reminded about that time in his life when he was unofficial babysitter #1 for his stupid friends. He opened the three folders simultaneously and stacked them in a way he could see all three photos of his new genin team at the same time. 

The first was a boy with messy black hair, dark green eyes, and a huge smile. The second was a girl with the same wide grin at the first, but with dark purple hair and wide black eyes. The third was a boy with a softer expression, snowy white hair braided over his shoulder, and happy hazel eyes.

Uchiha Satoshi, Hoshigaki Ren, and Rinha Takeo.

Why couldn't they just skin him instead of giving him this devil squad?

He must've said that out loud, because Sakura full on _laughed_ at him despite the fact that he now had to buy hair dye to cover the gray hairs he knew was sure to come.

"They're not that bad, Deidara."

"You're only saying that because one of them's your son, hm," he pouted. He looked back down at the files dejectedly and started to draft his will in his head. 

::

Three twelve year olds sat in an empty classroom as they awaited the arrival of their new genin teacher. The youngest of the three, Satoshi, carefully observed their surroundings. Normally his bangs would be in his eyes, barring anyone else from seeing the upper half of his face, but his friends seemed to have none of that today and tied it on the crown of his head with one of Takeo's maroon scrunchies.

"We're probably going to get Deidara-oji, right?" Satoshi hummed. "Kaa-san wouldn't tell me who'd be our sensei, but he's the only one who could handle us. Besides Sasori-oji, but he's not taking a team this year."

Takeo eyed him carefully as he continued to braid his waist-long hair.

"I don't like that look on your face, Shi-kun. Please don't tell me you're go-"

"You wanna prank him, huh?!" Ren interrupted with a predatory glint in her eyes. "Count me in! What are we going to do this time? We already did bugs, spray paint, glitter... do we even have time to go out and get something before he comes? Because after what happened last time with the kunai and exploding tags..."

Right. They'd quite literally set Deidara's pants on fire that time. Satoshi pulled out his phone and opened his gallery.

"I still have pictures."

"Really? Send them to me, I'll make it my new background."

Takeo looked absolutely mortified.

"Guys!" he exclaimed. "You can't- you still have pictures of that?! Delete it, that's horrible! After setting his pants on fire can't we just give him a break and not play a prank on him?"

Satoshi and Ren exchanged glances before looking back at him.

"Nah."

He squished his cheeks together and sighed. He didn't know why he tried when they never once listened to the voice of reason. Takeo watched helplessly as Satoshi slipped out of his seat, took an eraser from the whiteboard, and walked up the door frame to place it between the door and the wall.

"You said a prank," Ren drawled as she tucked her chin length hair behind her ear. "Deidara-oji's practically ANBU. He's not gonna fall for that."

"It'll work," the Uchiha assured with a lazy smile. He climbed back to his seat next to Takeo and waited. Three minutes later at eight o'clock on the dot, the door slid all the way open and a hand reached out to catch the falling eraser. Deidara poked his head through and glared at them.

"Did you little shits really think this stupid-ass trick was gonna work on me, hm? Because th- _OOF_!"

In the midst of Ren's cackling and Satoshi's full-force tackle their new sensei, Takeo shot up from his seat and ran over to the two bodies that started wrestling in the hallway.

"Shi-kun" he cried. "That's not a prank! That's assault!"

::

Nanadaime Hokage Uzumaki Naruto raked this gaze through the files on his desk. Ah, times like these were always tricky-- especially assigning recent Academy graduates to a sensei that would suit them adequately. He didn't want a repeat of what happened to _his_ Team Seven, though even if took a better turn in the end, his only wish was for others not to go through the years of pain and struggle they did.

The teams he assembled currently he hoped would be for the best, he thought, as he read through the last three teams he put together. 

Team Six: Nara Shikadai, Yamanaka Inojin, Akimichi Chouchou, and leader Sarutobi Mirai. That was an easy enough team to create with the continued tradition of an Ino-Shika-Chou squad headed by a member of the Sarutobi clan. They were going to a future close-combat team.

Team Nine: Hyuuga Noriko, Aburame Shou, Inuzuka Kiyomi, and leader Yamanaka Sai. Sai was one of the older sensei and most shinobi of his age and caliber weren't expected to take on a genin team, but he found a passion mentoring genin and Naruto wasn't one to persuade him otherwise. They were going to be a future tracking team.

Team Four: Uzumaki Boruto, Uchiha Sarada, Metal Lee, and leader Sarutobi Konohamaru. Naruto found it hard to place is son in a certain squad simply based on the fact that Boruto could be... _difficult_ if he wanted to, much like himself when he was younger. So he settled on placing him with the two others he was sure could handle his personality, as well as help compliment each of their three unique abilities. They were going to be a future offensive team.

They were the ones he worried about the most. It wasn't that he doubted their skill or believed that they weren't ready to take on the world, no, nothing like that... it was just... just so _similar_ to the Rookie Nine.

They almost mirrored to the squads he grew up with and it made a shiver crawl up his spine.

His generation had- _has_ \- a penchant for attracting disaster, and he wasn't sure how he was going to take it if it happened all over again like some sick round of deja vu.

Someone at his office door knocked twice before entering.

"Hokage-sama."

Naruto looked up from his laptop.

"Oh, Shikamaru. What's up?"

The Nara let out a tired sigh as he rubbed the back of his neck. Naruto knew well enough from experience that the expression his friend and advisor currently wore meant only one thing, or more precisely, was made because of the acts of one person. He stood and gave a sigh of his own.

"What did he do this time?"

Shikamaru gestured outside.

"Nothing much. He's only currently defacing the entire Hokage Monument with red paint."

Naruto pressed his hands to his eyes before he disappeared from his office, an almost distressed call bursting from his throat as he reappeared at his son's side with blazing blue eyes and one hand on his far smaller wrist.

" _Boruto_! What did I tell you about causing trouble like this?!"

"Stuff it, shitty old man!" the twelve year old bit back viciously. The Nanadaime knocked the top of his head.

"Language! Look, I don't have time for this, okay? I have a meeting with the council in a few minutes to discuss Academy assignments and the last thing I need is for you to cause a disturbance," he chastised. Naruto didn't miss the way the boy clenched his teeth and looked the other way. "Now, you're going to clean this mess up, aren't you?"

Boruto's expression grew a little angrier, but he still avoided looking straight at his father.

"Then clean it up with me! What's the problem with that?"

Naruto went silent for a few moments, then took his son into his arms as he leapt up on top of the Hokage Monument. As soon as Boruto's feet touched the ground, he kicked and wrenched himself from safe arms and moved a few paces away. The elder Uzumaki ran a hand through his hair and stared at the red swirl on the back of the boy's black jacket.

"I... know it can be hard for you. That's I'm not around as much as you want me to," the Hokage sighed. "Sometimes, I can't just be your father. I have to-"

"Sometimes?" Boruto sneered. He turned on his heel and glared at the man with as much fire as there could be in a sea blue gaze. "You're _never_ there. Ever since you became Hokage all- all you've done is work! You don't even come home anymore! And when I do see you, you're in your office or going to a meeting or on _TV_!"

"The village needs me, Boruto. I try to spend as much time with you guys as possible-"

The boy scoffed.

"Passing by us on the street doesn't count."

"Boruto! As your father I-"

"You're not my father!" Boruto shouted, tears springing in the corners of his eyes. Ice dug far into Naruto's guy as his brows rose to his hairline and he forgot how to breathe. "You could be my father or you could be the Hokage. You don't know how to be both."

With that, his small form stalked off to who knows where, maybe home or maybe to clean up the paint, leaving the person revered as the Village Hero to stay rooted to his spot with nothing more but regret to flood his limbs. When he finally opened his mouth to speak, no one was there, and his words trickled out in an unsteady stream.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you."

His mind suddenly brought him back far over twelve years ago. He'd been standing in the same spot as he was now, but it hadn't been Boruto who he'd let down that time.

_"I'm sorry, Sakura-chan. I'm so, so sorry."_

**_I'm sorry I wasn't there for you._ **

He cast on last look at the horizon before he turned and walked back towards the direction of his office, whispering brokenly to himself:

"What am I going to do?"


	21. You Will.

Kisame had finished half his coffee when his daughter literally tumbled all the way down the stairs and popped up like she hadn't tripped in the first place.

"Hi, pops!" she exclaimed. He smiled into his cup as she ran around him to get something from the fridge.

"Hi, Ren. Training today?"

"Mhm," she replied. When she closed the fridge door and went back to sit at the counter, some of last night's cake was stuffed in her cheeks and a glass of juice in her hand. She paused on the stool and looked up, whispering in horror. "Dad's not home, is he?"

"Don't you think you should've asked that before you took the cake?"

"I was— well— it's good cake. Is Dad here? is he? Oh no, he's gonna be pissed when he finds out I had cake for _breakfast_ —"

"And he'll give a lecture."

"Ack, those are so boring! Last time he lectured me was because apparently it's not safe to hang out of windows, but what was I supposed to do? 'toshi was actually doing the thing and 'keo was trying to stop him and I had to get it on video and hanging out the window had the best angle—"

Kisame laughed as he reached over and tousled her hair until it resembled a bird's nest.

"Your dad left earlier to assist Sakura-sama in surgery, don't worry."

Ren pouted.

"Pops!" she whined. "Come on, I thought you were really gonna sell me out to Dad!"

"For cake? Nah. Give me some and I'll keep quiet."

"Deal."

At the hospital in one of the operating rooms, Kabuto sneezed.

::

To say the Rinha household was calm most days was... generally the truth. Takeo was an early riser to reasons completely unknown to his father who, if given the chance, would crash until noon. Or at least until his mother or his many uncles would come over and drag him out of bed. But on a normal day, he and his parents would wake up at five, his mother would leave at six, and he and his dad would leave at seven.

It was routine. 

So imagine Takeo's surprise when at around five past six, he saw the lights in the kitchen already on when he wandered in to make breakfast.

And saw the window open. 

And saw a blood trail leading to the living room.

And there, he say laying on the ottoman: a severed arm.

Takeo screamed.

Hidan bolted upright from his supine position on the flood hidden behind the couch and turned his head. He was wearing his clothes from the day before with mussed hair and _a gaping hole on the left side of his body where his arm should be oh my fuck what was happening why was it just sitting there on the ottoman—_

"Oh shit, it's morning already? Huh," Hidan mused before blinking at his son. "You okay, bud?"

Takeo had pressed himself as much as he could against the cabinets, his eyes staring at the ceiling to avoid all sights of bodily fluids and decapitated body parts. He knew his father couldn't be killed in any conventional way, but he'd never seen it in practice before. 

Honestly, he thought that was kind of a long-running joke among everyone.

Apparently not. And it probably explained why his own pain tolerance was frighteningly and worryingly high.

"T-Tou-san... you... yo-your arm..."

Hidan looked down.

"Oh... right... Sorry you had to see that. I was trying to test out this theory and I thought I'd get it all cleaned before you woke up and kind of fell asleep."

Marisu poked her head from the hallway and observed the mess with an unimpressed eye. She then walked to her son's side and covered his eyes with one hand while patting his head with the other.

"Are you able to reattach your arm all by yourself?" she questioned. Hidan lifted his remaining hand and sent chakra to his palm, watching it as it burned green for a moment before he let it die out.

"Yeah, I got it. Takeo, you alright?"

The boy shakily held a thumbs up.

"To-To-Totally..."

Marisu, her hand still over his eyes, started to gently push him towards the door.

"We'll stand outside for a bit while you clean up your... experiment."

"Sounds fair. Won't take ten minu— _fuck_ where's my pinky finger? Ugh. Fifteen minutes!"

It wasn't that Takeo hadn't seen body parts and blood before, but seeing one's father in a pool of his own blood and snoring with his arm staining the furniture wasn't exactly the ideal picture he'd like to suddenly wake up to.

::

Satoshi would be stealthy today. 

His bangs were pinned back by his parents' extra large bobby pins too, so that just about doubled his stealth, meaning his was serious. His mom would be at work by now as per Otokage duties and his father...

What was today? Monday? He'd be at Intelligence today and would be staying at home two hours longer than normal than if he had hospital duty.

He slowly diminished his chakra and sent an essence creeping out the window, masking his own chakra and sticking to the shadows of the hall. Maybe his dad would fall for it this time— after all, he'd gotten good at the delicate nature of chakra control to the point where he could have zero detection.

Satoshi crept down the stairs, only pausing at the sound of crackling oil and the light tin of the morning radio. Dad was making breakfast, like usual and... fell for the essence he sent out the window? Hopefully.

He darted to the kitchen island, stopped for a few heartbeats, then hid behind the wall near the front door. Dad was still at the stove with his hair tied in a high but and his lips taking a slight downturn as he glanced towards the stairs. Perfect. He didn't know.

Satoshi silently booked it to the front door and threw it open—

— only to collide into his dad's torso.

He groaned in defeat.

"It seems that you've lost again, Satoshi," Itachi noted, a small smile on his face. "Perhaps next time."

"I almost had it, though. What if I snuck out faster?"

"Speed shouldn't have been a factor as I'm still quicker than you. The essence was an interesting addition as opposed to the clone you used a week ago."

"Okay, okay. But when I do manage to reach the street before you catch me, will I still get to ask Sasuke-ji for those Konoha sweets?" he asked. Satoshi pouted as he meandered back into the house and removed the bobby pins, letting his bangs fall and cover half of his face like they normally did. Itachi patted his son's shoulder and returned to the kitchen.

"Of course. Breakfast is almost ready."

"Can I take a bento up to kaa-san today before I go see Deidara-oij?" Satoshi questioned. His dad smiled again.

"I think she'd like that."

::

"We only had one surgery today?"

"Yes. The other surgeons were booked from the recent overflow of patients the last few weeks. The few available didn't have enough experience to complete it," Kabuto explained, scrolling through some things on his tablet. "It's currently 6:43. You have paperwork until 8, a meeting at 8:15—"

"Can I get you to go to the meeting for me?"

"—no, you can't— that meeting lasts until 9, and between 9 and 10 is your first break of the day."

Sakura sighed and opened her laptop.

"Fine, fine. Tell me the rest of it after my break then," she said. "Which reminds me, can you organize these documents in the Archives for me? They're Kage-ranked classified and you're the only one with clearance."

Kabuto nodded.

"If I get back and find you gone, I'm going to email every restaurant in the village to not sell you anymore anmitsu," he threatened with a smile. She held a hand over her heart and rolled her chair away from him.

"You're a cruel, cruel man."

"Who will enjoy burning your entire liquor supply if you don't do your work."

"Che! One threat is enough for my poor soul, Kabuto, I get it," she pouted. He chuckled as he left her office, allowing Sakura to stare at the organized piles of paper at her feet, then at the documents she was currently opening on her laptop. "Over twenty years as Kage's right hand and Kabuto's still got that edge. Admirable."

She was delayed from starting her work for a little while when someone knocked twice on her window before opening it and slipping inside. Sakura brightened immediately.

"Good morning, kaa-san."

"Good morning, Satoshi," she greeted. He trotted to her side and she placed a quick kiss to the top of his head. "What brings you to my office so early in the morning?"

He placed a bento on his mother's desk.

"Tou-san let me take a bento up to you today," he said. "I heard you had to do an early surgery today and I didn't think you had breakfast, so I wanted to bring you some."

Her little boy's sweetness made her heart ache as she wrapped her arms around him and brought him close.

"Thank you for thinking of me and tell your tou-san I said thank you for making one of his amazing bentos."

Satoshi happily returned the hug. He didn't see his mom too often because of all the work she had to do for the village, but she really did make an effort to be in his life as much as possible. He even remembered the stories his uncles told him about when he was a baby and she'd bring him to the office sometimes just to hold him while she worked.

"I will. I have to go see Deidara-oji for training, but make sure to eat all of your bento, okay, kaa-san? You need to stay healthy," he reminded. Sakura brushed his bangs to the side.

"I promise," she grinned. "Now don't make too much trouble for Deidara, okay? He already had a heart attack when he found out who his knew team would be."

Satoshi hopped onto the windowsill and flashed a grin that matched his mother's.

"Don't worry, kaa-san. If we do mess with him, I'll send you a video."

"You better! Take care, I love you."

"I love you too! Have a good day at work!"

He closed the window behind him as he bounded off to his designated training field. That boy, always a troublemaker but had such a kind heart. Sakura opened her bento, sighing a second time at the delicious smell, and dug in. It wasn't five minutes later that her laptop flashed and a request for a video call popped up.

She clicked answer.

_"Hey, Sakura-chan! You look happy even though it's super early."_

She took in the wariness in Naruto's smile, the lingering tiredness in his voice, and the sad look in his eyes. She set down her chopsticks. 

"What's wrong?"

He paused, probably to make some excuse that nothing was really _wrong_ , but he couldn't find it in himself to lie and sunk down in his chair.

_"It's... It's Boruto,"_ he said. He glanced away from the camera for a moment with his lips pressed together and his eyes growing even sadder. _"... I'm just a shitty father. So shitty that my own son hates me."_

"Naruto..."

_"When I dreamed to be Hokage, I... I honestly didn't think I'd have a family too,"_ he confessed. _"I was so ready to take up the mantle and be there for the people, to show everyone that I wasn't the fox brat they all thought I was. I was ready to be Hokage, then I fell in love with Hinata. We had Boruto and Himawari and I love them all so much but I... I thought I could balance everything with being Hokage and I thought that I could do it."_

"Naruto, you've only been Hokage for a few years. You're still learning what it means to be a parent and a leader at the same time," she tried. His shoulders dropped.

_"He told me..."_ he gulped. No tears had come out of his eyes, but he started rubbing at them. _"He told me I didn't know how to be a Hokage while still his father. He was right. And I'm scared that I'll never figure out how to be both. What if I really don't?"_

"You will."

_"But what if I—"_

"You. Will," she repeated firmly, then her tone softened. "You're Uzumaki Naruto, aren't you? The man who could do anything he set his mind to. You have wonderful children, a loving wife, your lifelong dream in your hands, and the respect of everyone in the world! Boruto might've said he hates you, but you know that's not true. You _know_ it."

He looked more encouraged than he had when he first called her, but he was still a far cry from the Naruto she knew. Sakura moved her bento to the side and scanned the calendar on her desk.

"Here, you're going to be coming to Oto in a couple of weeks to meet with me to discuss our village relations. When you come to visit we can talk about what you can do about Boruto," she said. His face lit up.

_"Sakura-chan you're the best, dattebayo!"_

She huffed and picked her chopsticks back up.

"Of course I am. So tell me, do you happen to know how to evade someone who's trying to get you to do paperwork?"

::

So, a question for those who read _Stumble: Rewrite_.

Would you guy prefer an extremely long chapter on the Chuunin Exams, or the arc to be cut into two pieces?

Because my outline of that one chapter took over 5,000 and I'm expecting it to be much longer than the most recent chapter.


End file.
